Coming Through
by Moonbutton
Summary: S3 alternative endingbeginning
1. Default Chapter

i) The Centre, July 1999.  
  
ii) 'Sick of all the same old answers, lost chances, cold stones' (Nightblindness, D. Gray)  
  
Coming Through.  
  
"I won't let him hurt you anymore, I promise. We're going to get you out of here."  
  
The young boy looked up at the woman. Could he really believe her, she seemed so sincere. He would give anything and everything to be out of the situation he was in now. He had lied when he said he was happy doing sims - he hated it. To be exact he hated Raines and what he did to him. The woman, he had heard her be addressed as Miss Parker, was offering him a way out and he didn't believe it was a trick. She had been the only one, in all the time he could remember, who had spoken to him without wanting anything. He slowly nodded his head.  
  
Miss Parker smiled at the boy's reaction and took his hand in hers. "We need to move fast, okay?" Time was scarce in this escapade, she and Broots had managed to come up with an escape route at a moments notice but there were no guarantees it would work. The reaction on Broots' face was priceless when she suggested she would take the boy and run. It was practically his idea anyway, 'What would your mother do?'   
  
The boy followed her out into the corridor, it was clear. Broots should be with Sydney and Raines right about now. He had come through for her in the end, it must have been the alcohol, he wouldn't normally have the nerve. It was his suggestion to hold off The Centre's hierarchy whilst she got the boy. As they moved along the corridor Miss Parker felt for her gun, intending to use it if necessary but reluctant to take it out of the holster and scare the boy.  
  
It was going well until they heard voices in the distance. Miss Parker felt for her gun once more but was stopped from drawing the weapon by a nearby vent opening and the appearance of Angelo. He urged them both to follow him, uttering "Safe. No one watching." Miss Parker made sure the boy entered first and then got in herself managing to close the vent behind her in ample time to avoid the sweepers walking down the corridor. Silently praying that there would be enough time to make good their escape before the boy's absence was noticed they followed Angelo along the ventilation system. If the boy had any reservations about the whole venture he was not voicing them.  
  
They arrived at their destination, the parking lot, after five or so minutes. Angelo descended first then helped both the boy and Miss Parker out of the shaft. He then produced a bunch of keys from his pocket and grinned, "Safe, car safe. Not find you."   
  
Miss Parker gave in to the urge to hug him saying her thanks at the same time. Withdrawing from the embrace she found the boy staring at them his face still blank. She asked Angelo which car and he pointed to a dark saloon, definitely not her usual style. With Angelo watching from the safety of the ventilation shaft they fled into the night.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"They're going to move the boy, I need to know when." It was not a question but a demand.  
  
Sydney unfortunately was not in a position to answer his protege's enquiry. For one thing he didn't know exactly where the boy was and, another, he was pretty sure that he would be under intense scrutiny from this day forth making any contact with Jarod difficult. "Jarod I can't help you, I don't know where he is." Sydney's reply was aimed at those he thought may be eavesdropping as well as the man on the other end of the line.   
  
"What's going on Sydney?" Jarod's voice grew concerned at the sparse details he had received.  
  
"Miss Parker took the boy Jarod, about two hours ago. It may have been longer than that, we're not exactly sure - all of The Centre's cameras managed to malfunction at exactly the same time." Secretly Sydney was pleased at the turn of events but his conversation with Jarod was making it clear that he was not the one who aided and abetted Miss Parker. "The Centre is on shut down Jarod. Raines is fuming and Mr Parker... Well he's worse. Lyle and Brigette are heading up the investigation - they are 'talking' to Broots right now and I have a feeling I am next."  
  
"Did you help her?" Jarod realised of course that everyone would be under suspicion, that was The Centre way - trust no one.   
  
Sydney held his tongue for a moment. His innocence in this whole affair was, for once, genuine. His insistence on being in charge of Project Gemini could be taken either way though - that he genuinely wanted to take charge of the boy or that he was involved in the escape. Though he had not physically aided the boy's escape he was involved in an abstract way. Sydney chided himself again for not taking Miss Parker into his confidence over his real intentions regarding the boy. He felt as if he were to blame in some way for her actions but he couldn't risk telling her. Though it now seemed she would have condoned his actions. "No Jarod, I didn't."  
  
Jarod thanked Sydney for the information and hung up. HIs father had been pacing behind him for the duration of the conversation and he explained what little he knew to him.  
  
"Catherine's daughter? Isn't she the one who's been chasing you, trying to return you to The Centre?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Will the boy be safe with her?"  
  
Jarod resisted the urge to snap at his father. He could feel his stress levels rising and tried to take some deep breaths in an effort to calm down and focus his thoughts. The truth was he had never expected this, not from her. For all his pushing and needling of her he never expected her to walk out - especially like this. He supposed the boy was too much of a reminder for her, of the past, of the bad times.   
  
Maybe it was all the lies and deceit and she could finally take no more. He would have to ask her when he caught up with her, because he suddenly decided that was exactly what he was going to do. He still needed, wanted to see the boy. Right now though they could probably do with his help. "Yes. Miss Parker is more like her mother than she would like people to believe. The Centre catching up with them is going to be the bigger problem, we need to distract their attentions elsewhere."  
  
The Major eyed his son carefully. He trusted his judgement, though he was finding it hard to believe that one of The Centre's operatives had turned. But then again hadn't Catherine? Like mother like daughter. "Okay. What can we do?"   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"So let me get this straight Broots, because I'm finding this a little difficult to believe. You and Sydney come to me and Raines with vital information on Jarod's whereabouts, going behind Miss Parker's back, just as she is escaping with the boy."  
  
Broots swallowed hard. "Yes." He wasn't sure what he found most unnerving: Lyle's form of questioning or Brigette's unflinching scrutiny.  
  
Lyle stared hard at Broots. "Why didn't you take this information to my sister? Why would you go behind her back?"  
  
"She, er.. wasn't interested." He swallowed hard again.  
  
Lyle's stony glare remained.  
  
"I mean she, er, seemed distracted. Not herself. Ever since we found out about... you know..." Broots cleared his throat a little wishing he could take a sip of cola, juice or water, anyhting wet. But not alcohol. Alcohol had gotten him into this mess to begin with. "I can see why she was distracted now..."  
  
Lyle glanced at Brigette for some kind of recognition from her but she continued to stare at the balding geek. Lyle ploughed on. "And the cameras, Broots? How did she manage that, more your area of expertise isn't it?"  
  
This was the first question that Broots could answer truthfully as he really didn't know how that had happened. "I don't know, maybe she took some computer courses..." Broots surprised himself with his nerve for what felt like the hundreth time in twenty four hours. He had offered to help Miss Parker take the boy and had persisted when she had, at first, declined his offer of help. It was even his idea to distract the 'main players' involved in Project Gemini, quickly mocking up a lead on Jarod. How all the cameras happened to go down at the same time was truly a mystery to him, maybe it was a stroke of good fortune. Didn't she deserve some luck in her life?   
  
"Of course she hasn't!" Lyle boomed.  
  
Brigette finally shed her quiet demeanor and walked up to Lyle relieving him of the interrogation. Taking his place in front of Broots she leant in far enough to reveal enough of her chest, "Are you sure you didn't help her just a little?"  
  
Broots shifted uncomfortably in his seat at her proximity. "No, I didn't know anything about it. And if I had, well... I still wouldn't have."  
  
"And why is that?" Brigette purred.  
  
"I have too much to lose", Broots replied thinking of his little girl tucked up safely in bed.  
  
Brigette smiled at this and straightened up. "Exactly. You're a smart man, Mr Broots. I hope for your, and your daughter's, sakes you remain that way."  
  
Broots fidgeted in his seat and nodded his head. He breathed a small sigh of relief as the other two people vacated the room.  
  
"Well?" Lyle asked after he closed the door.  
  
"I don't think so Lyle. He hasn't got the balls. Maybe we'll get further with Sydney."  
  
"Are you kidding? Sydney almost bust a gut to get his hands on Project Gemini. Raines was fuming about it."  
  
Brigette considered this as they made their way down one of The Centre's endless corridors. "Maybe that was why he wanted to be involved."  
  
"Maybe, but Sydney has over thirty years with The Centre - he knows his boundaries." Lyle thought that it was an interesting angle to use in Sydney's interrogation and he hoped he got to play the 'bad cop' again. That was his favourite part though he could turn on the charm if the occassion warranted it. "You know it wouldn't surprise me if Jarod had something to do with this." Brigette raised her eyebrows at him. "He cares about my sister we know that. What has always concerned The Centre is how much she reciprocates those feelings."  
  
As they walked along neither noticed the pair of eyes tracing their movements from a ventilation shaft. "Daughter, safe." 


	2. CH II

i) Thanks to Michelle, Nancy, Phenyx, and Miss Dynamite for your encouragement - hope you enjoy this chapter too.  
  
ii) 'And how do you see when the light isn't shining, where you could be if you worked out the timing' (OCS, The Downstream)  
  
Chapter Two.  
  
Sydney walked wearily along the corridor, it had been a long night and it wasn't over yet - he still had his own interrogation to endure. But he wasn't content to wait for them to come to him, instead he was taking it to the them. Sydney was innocent of any involvement with the boy's disappearance but that would mean nothing to The Centre. The best action to take, he decided, was to continue with the idea that he was looking forward to working with the boy and that he was disappointed he had lost that chance. He wondered briefly how Broots was holding up and what exactly he was telling Lyle. Though Broots had not mentioned anything about Miss Parker's disappearance to Sydney he felt that he was involved some how. Thanks to the stance he was taking over Project Gemini he doubted that Broots would be talking to him for some time. It was an approach he hoped Broots was taking with Lyle.  
  
When he finally reached Mr Parker's office Sydney paused for a moment and took a deep breath. He could hear voices inside and instead of knocking strode into the office brazenly, hoping he could pick up some of the conversation that he was obviously being excluded from. Mr Parker was sat at his desk, Brigette sat at his side, perched on the edge of the desk. Raines sat opposite Mr Parker with Lyle standing at his right side.  
  
"Ah, Sydney. I was just going to send for you." Mr Parker intoned.   
  
Sydney stalked further into the office. "Has there been any news on the boy yet?" Sydney kept his focus on Mr Parker but he could feel Raines glaring at him.  
  
Mr Parker's face remained neutral, the simmering anger he felt kept in check. "No. Did you know she was going to do this?"  
  
Sydney winced at the use of 'she'. Obviously Mr Parker was already disowning his daughter. "No. Miss Parker was barely speaking to me on account of my involvement with the boy." As much as he hated playing these games he was a master of them, a skill that had kept him safe for some time. "She did voice her concerns to us all when we tested the boy."  
  
Mr Parker grimaced at this. "Yes." Just like her mother had all those years ago.  
  
"Morality issues." Brigette chipped in after extracting the lollipop from her mouth for the briefest of moments.  
  
Sydney stood back a little as Raines leaned forward from his seat. "I said she was too much like her mother, you said you could handle her and now she's gone." Raines paused to regain his breathing. "Gemini was my project, you let Sydney take control and now the boy has gone too." He was squarely laying the accusations at Mr Parker. "If I had been..."  
  
"Well you are not, are you?" Mr Parker cut Raines off. He rubbed his head in frustration, she had betrayed him just as Catherine had. Now he had nothing - no Jarod, no clone and no daughter. The only thing that was in his favour was the child that Brigette was carrying and that meant holding on to the reins until the birth.  
  
Lyle stepped into the debate. "Look she can't have got far. I sent sweepers to her house and they found nothing amiss; this looks like a split second decision to take the boy and run so she won't be prepared. We find her, we find the boy. We get them both and Jarod will come running back to us." Though he said this confidently he wasn't all that certain. He had read his sister's file, knew how smart she really was - he just hoped he was smarter.  
  
"What if she had help?" Raines looked to Sydney when he said this.  
  
The question remained unanswered as Mtumbo chose this moment to announce his presence. He had listened to their bickering long enough and time was wasting. "I am most disappointed in this turn of events." He walked further into the office. "Jarod is with his father and Miss Parker has the boy - I was assured everything was in hand." He raised his hands to silence the protests and turned to face Lyle. "You will track down Miss Parker and the boy." Lyle nodded his consent, though he couldn't really refuse. Facing Brigette Mtumbo ordered her to find Jarod and the Major. She accepted with a smile. He took a few paces out of the room and turned again to face the other occupants, "If there is no sign of progress, heads will roll. I'll be observing you all."   
  
Mr Parker's shoulders sunk a little lower, everything was unravelling around him. He, nor anyone else in the room, noticed the camera recording from the safety of the ventilation shaft.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Charles paced nervously in the half light of the morning and checked his watch yet again. Jarod was late. He debated going back for him even though they had agreed to meet elsewhere if something didn't go according to plan. He made up his mind, he was going back - he'd already lost his son once and he wasn't prepared to take that risk again.  
  
"Go!"  
  
Just as Charles had made the decision to go back he heard, and saw, Jarod. Silently saying a prayer to whichever deity was looking out for his son he headed back to the car, Jarod following behind. He sat down and started the engine just as Jarod opened the other door and slung in his back pack.  
  
"Let's go Dad", Jarod urged as he slammed his door shut. As his father floored the engine Jarod released a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. His father caught his eye but Jarod looked away to the window and concentrated on calming his breathing down - he'd had to run faster to get back to the car than he had anticipated. In a very short time Donoterase would no longer exist.  
  
"Mission accomplished?" Charles asked, noting his son's reluctance to look him in the eye.  
  
Jarod breathed in deeply, trying to quell the feeling of nausea. He almost wished he hadn't returned to the facility, or that he hadn't stopped to look so closely. The plan was to set the explosives and get out as quickly as possible, hopefully detracting The Centre's attention away from other matters. He had disarmed the sensors to give him ample time but what he had witnessed in one room had stopped him in his tracks. "Yes. I triggered the fire alarm as well so any personnel on site have a chance to escape."  
  
As if on cue Charles observed the evidence of the explosion in his rear view mirror. Jarod had still to make eye contact with him. "Do you think it will distract them?"  
  
"Hopefully it will give them something else to think about other than Miss Parker and the boy. And ourselves." Jarod closed his eyes but he could still see the specimens - the dark side of Project Gemini. In his disgust he had set more explosives than actually necessary. He would not tell his father what he had uncovered, not if he didn't have to. Opening his eyes he focussed on the back pack that lay at his feet. Half an hour ago it had been full of explosives, now it contained files. He had grabbed whatever information had seemed pertinent, he had a feeling Donoterase was holding more secrets than his clone. He shuddered to think exactly what those files might reveal. He finally looked over to the older man. "You look tired Dad. Let me take over."  
  
Charles smiled at his passenger, "I'm fine." They were both tired, neither willing to admit it. "What next?"  
  
Jarod allowed himself to relax a little in his seat. "Same as always, find my family. I've already made a start." He smiled back at the Major. "That includes the boy, he's part of our family too."  
  
"And Miss Parker?" Charles was still hesitant to believe her part in all this. It was only his son's unswerving belief in her that swung it for him. He made a mental note to ask Jarod exactly what their relationship entailed.  
  
There was no doubt in Jarod's mind that for the time being the boy was safe with Miss Parker. And he was doubly sure it wasn't some elaborate hoax by The Centre to entice him back. "We find her, we find the boy", was the only explanation he offered his father. If the truth was known he feared it would prove as difficult tracking them down as it had been trying to find his parents. Miss Parker was a red file and, coupled with her Centre training, she could disappear for good taking the boy with her. He hoped it wouldn't come to that, he didn't want to lose either of them.  
  
Charles glanced at Jarod, who appeared to be deep in thought. He allowed himself a swell of pride to rush over him; his son was a good man despite what The Centre had done to him, but he couldn't really take the credit for that. However he would do all he could to put his family back together. "How's your shoulder, son?"  
  
Jarod stirred from his thoughts. "It's okay." He hadn't really given it much thought as he had been running on adrenaline since he'd been shot. He stifled a yawn and tried to plan out their next move. He would contact Angelo, the almost mute Centre inmate had a knack of knowing what was going on in The Centre and had often provided him with information. He would contact Sydney as well, and maybe Broots. Jarod wanted to know exactly what was going on as a result of Miss Parker's escape.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Lyle sighed as he entered the kitchen of Miss Parker's house, their mother's house. The sweepers hadn't missed much though he had decided to check himself just to be sure. The problem was he couldn't be sure, he could count the number of times he'd been here on one hand. He did know where she kept the scotch though and, despite the early hour of the day, poured himself a drink. "Cheers Sis", he murmured as he raised his glass. Now that she was out of the equation things were looking up for him, he just needed to make sure he tread a fine line with both Mr Parker and Raines. At the end of all this one of them was going to be in charge and he intended to be right there with them. Then he could have some fun with Parker and Jarod.  
  
First things first though, he had to find them. Sitting down on the sofa he flipped through the report he had ordered into the camera 'failure'. He had some IT guys look into it while he was interrogating Broots. The report however failed to draw any real conclusions as to what happened, only that it was unlikely that the sytem had been tampered with. Either she was very smart or very fortuitous, and he hoped it was the latter as all good luck must eventually come to an end. His cell phone rang disrupting his thoughts and the news, about Donoterase's downfall, made him reach again for the bottle.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Miss Parker pulled up otside the bank and, turning off the engine, glanced over at the boy. He was staring out of the window and she followed his gaze to a nearby park. Though it was early, barely nine - thirty, there was a group of children organising a game of baseball.  
  
"Are they playing?" He asked, enthralled.  
  
Miss Parker smiled at this question. She had worried at first as he had remained silent throughout their escape and continued that way for the first couple of hours on the road. When she asked him if he was okay he would merely nod his head and continue staring out of the window causing her to fear that the whole experience was too overwhelming for him - after all he had never been outside before. Even when she had stopped at her lock up to swap cars and pick up some belongings he had not uttered a word. It was only when they were back on the road and the sun began to rise that he found his voice. It was his first sunrise, real anyway, and it literally blew him away. Sharing the experience with him had been an eye opener for herself. After that he wouldn't shut up, asking questions every five minutes. To her surprise she found she didn't mind, as if by leaving The Centre she had finally shed the skin she had been hiding behind.  
  
The boy turned around to face her when she didn't respond. She seemed lost in thought so he repeated the question, knowing she would answer. She never got angry at him once for asking questions, not like Raines would.  
  
Miss Parker snapped out of her thoughts and began to explain what they were doing. He turned back round to watch them when she had finished and her heart wrenched at his longing looks. She got out of the car and the boy followed obediently. The lock up had also contained some casual clothing that she was now wearing, her suit had been grubby from crawling around the vents anyway. Unfortunately though she was prepared for the day when she left The Centre she had nothing for the boy except for one of Tommy's faded black t-shirts that she'd hung on to. It was a little baggy on the him but it would suffice for now.  
  
"Where are we going now?"  
  
Miss Parker explained about the safety deposit box and it's contents as they walked into the bank. She got the idea from her mother, but hers contained cash and some false papers she had set up. The money had been slowly syphoned from her bank accounts and she was certain The Centre were unaware of her contingency plans. She had set these plans in motion almost two years ago when it became apparent she would never escape The Centre, despite her agreement with her father. Though she had protested that she could never walk away she knew one day she would have to, she never suspected it would be under these circumstances. Fleeing for her life maybe, not walking out of her own accord. She had persevered with the game of cat and mouse with Jarod only to find out more about her mother's death. And for her father, clinging to the hope he would return her love even though she knew he never would. Or never could.  
  
She pushed thoughts of disloyalty to her father to one side as they were ushered into the vault. Opening up the box she poured the contents onto the small table in the centre of the room. The boy watched her place, what he assumed was currency, into her bag. When she noticed him staring she grinned at him.  
  
He couldn't help smiling back at her. Though he had only known her a short amount of time he felt he could trust her implicitly, he felt safe with her and most of all she spoke to him as a real person. She didn't get angry with him when he asked questions or when he showed emotions, in fact she seemed happier when he did those things. He had seen the pain in her eyes, felt the hurt there but he had also witnessed her tenacity, her strength and her kindness. And her smile. Their escape together had created a bond he hoped never to lose. "Nicole Clarke? That's not your name."  
  
Miss Parker looked up to see the boy holding one of the false drivers licenses she had created. As she put the rest of the documentation into her bag she replied, "A little white lie to make it harder to find us."  
  
The boy considered this, "Oh."  
  
Taking the license off him she slipped it into the pocket of her jeans. "It also states I'm a couple of pounds lighter but don't tell anyone, ok?" He nodded his head and Miss Parker slipped her arm around his shoulder, guiding him out of the vault. It was only when they had wrapped up business in the bank and had settled back into the car did the boy speak again.  
  
"Why would you lie about your weight? How would that help?" He was puzzled as to how it could aid their escape, the change of identity he could understand. He waited patiently for Miss Parker to finish laughing so he could get his answer. 


	3. CH III

i) Thanks to Sabrina, Michelle, MMB, Miss Dynamite, gemini006007, Nancy, and Melanie Anne for your reviews.  
  
ii) 'Where do you go when it is all complicating?, where do you go when you steer it all away?' (OCS, 'Going nowhere for a while')  
  
"You wanted to see me, Dad?" Lyle asked as he entered Mr Parker's office. He managed to stifle a yawn, the long night and alcohol taking it's toll.  
  
"Yes." Mr Parker walked around his desk to face Lyle. "Things are changing Lyle and we need to be careful. We Parkers need to stick together."  
  
Lyle put on his most genuine smile, "Of course Dad." He manged to bite back a comment about Miss Parker not adhering to that statement.  
  
Mr Parker eyed his son suspiciously. He had no choice really other than to trust someone. Raines, he was most sure, was still in league with the Triumverate - indeed Mtumbo's surprise arrival seemed to confirm that for him. Trusting Raines had led him onto trouble before. No it had to be Lyle. "Lyle I need you to look out for Brigette." Seeing his son's perpelexed expression he decided to reveal more about Donoterase, about everything. His legacy rested with Lyle now, now that his Angel had betrayed him.  
  
Lyle swallowed hard, managing to retain his smile. He knew some of The Centre's deepest secrets and now he was in as deeply as he could go. He muttered his consent to Mr Parker, but already he was contemplating how best to use this information.  
  
"Once the child is born I will be secure in my position once more - and I want you to be at my side. This is a family business." Mr Parker forced out his best fatherly smile, the one he frequently used on his daughter. The one that in retrospect clearly hadn't worked all that well.  
  
"I'll get right on it Dad." Lyle smirked. His father was clearly unaware of how closely he had been 'attending' to Brigette. "I take it she's over at Donoterase? Or what's left of it."  
  
Mr Parker's face fell at the question. "Yes. Raines sent her over straight away." He felt a little uneasy at Brigette's prescence there, even if she was unaware of exactly what she was involved in. He watched Lyle make his way out of the office and, to his dismay, Raines enter.  
  
Raines noted Lyle's visit but didn't comment on it. He could find out later what it was about. He walked up to Mr Parkers desk as the other man seated himself. "Mtumbo has his sights on Miss Parker's office." Raines stated once he had caught his breath.  
  
Mr Parker let the information digest before he replied. He wondered what else could possibly go wrong, now he was going to have the Triumverate breathing down his neck. He glared at the man stood opposite him but Raines stood firm under scrutiny. All the more reason not to trust him. "Then we'll have to be careful won't we?" He wouldn't be able to deny Mtumbo his request.  
  
"The Triumverate are not going to wait forever." In Raines' opinion they had been too lenient to begin with. Now if he were in charge... He hoped that they wouldn't wait long to usurp Mr Parker, as long as he himself was their choice of replacement. Of course Project Gemini would be ruined now that he'd been outside and in Miss Parker's care. He would have to start all over again.  
  
"I am aware of that. Was there anything else?" Mr Parker watched as Raines responded in the negative and shuffled out of the office. Sighing he rested his head against the back of the chair. Raines was not going to make this any easier on him, he had probably already informed Mtumbo as to the circumstances regarding Donoterase. He hoped Raines was too wrapped up in Project Gemini to realise what else was going on there. What worried him most though was who was responsible for the attack on Donoterase. He could only hope that whoever it was hadn't bothered to look around first.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sydney paused outside Miss Parker's office and, looking over his shoulder, assured himself that no one was observing him. He quietly snuck inside only to jump slightly when he realised someone else was already in the room. He was just as surprised to see Broots as Broots was to see him.  
  
"Er.. Sydney I was just..." Broots sunk his hands into his pockets and looked suitably guilty. As soon as he heard on the grapevine that Miss Parker's office was going to be seconded he'd made his way there for one last look.   
  
"I heard Mtumbo was claiming her office too", Sydney explained as he walked further in. "I suppose her belongings will go in to storage."  
  
"Yeah", Broots muttered slightly relieved that it was only Sydney that had discovered him trespassing.  
  
Sydney could read him like a book, "You came to take something?" When the younger man did not reply Sydney guessed he was right. "I wanted to speak with you Broots, if I may." Sydney had made his way to her office with much the same intentions as Broots, he feared he would never see Miss Parker again and wanted to feel her prescence one last time. Now however he would take the opportunity to set things straight with Broots.  
  
Broots squirmed uncomfortably, he could guess what Sydney wanted to know. He wanted desperately to confide in his friend but could he trust him? Hadn't Sydney 'gone over to the dark side'? That was why Miss Parker had taken the boy, there was no one else she could trust. It was why they hadn't involved Sydney in the escape plan, other than to distract him. His loyalty to Miss Parker won over and he held his tongue. Just as he had with Lyle and Brigette. He hoped Miss Parker would be proud of him. "Er... I have things to do Syd. I've had a really stressful morning, I've been accused of betraying The Centre, I've had very little sleep and I haven't seen my daughter this morning." He paused for breath before adding, "And now Mtumbo wants me to review Centre security, immediately."  
  
Sydney persisted. "Then maybe a walk in the grounds would rejuvenate you and we can have our conversation in privacy." Sydney held his breath as he waited for Broots to reply. He hoped to enlighten Broots as to his real reasons for becoming involved in Project Gemini, though obviously it was not something he wanted The Centre to become aware of. He watched the younger man contemplate the question then finally, to Sydney's relief, he consented.  
  
Broots walked uncomfortably at Sydney's side in the mid morning sun until they had some distance from The Centre. He was willing to hear Syd out, there was no harm in that surely?  
  
Sydney began to explain his true intentions regarding the boy. "I saw an opportunity Broots, and I took it. I couldn't let it happen again." He stopped walking and Broots mirrored him. "You must believe me Broots."  
  
Broots smiled shyly at the older man. He was quite relieved at Sydneys revelation, he wondered how he was going to survive at The Centre without Miss Parker or Sydney. "Miss Parker is pretty pissed at you. She thought, well we thought, that you'd sunk as low as Raines."  
  
"That's what I needed you to believe, I didn't want to take either of you into my confidence in case things went badly wrong. It appears you both had other ideas."   
  
Broots smirked a little at this. "Yeah it was all Miss Parker's idea really. I never imagined she would ever do something like that." He proceded to tell Sydney what had transpired.  
  
"So you didn't interfere with the cameras?", Sydney asked surprised. His list of potential candidates was getting smaller.  
  
"No. It wasn't me and it wasn't Miss Parker. How do you think she's doing, Syd?" He was glad that he could now discuss this with someone else, someone he could trust.  
  
"I imagine it will be quite a journey for both of them." Noting Broots' smile fade a little he added, "They will be okay Broots. Miss Parker can take care of herself and we can make sure The Centre stays off their backs." He sighed inwardly at the thought of another 'child' he had lost, another two souls to worry about. He disgarded the thought, at least Miss Parker was away from The Centre, and she'd saved another soul in the process.  
  
"Syd, how were you going to let Jarod know about the boy?" Broots suddenly asked.  
  
"Ah that is where I need a favour from you. I left a message for him on the mainframe, do you think you could dispose of the evidence?"  
  
"I'll see what I can do. Things are changing around here Syd." Broots commented as they turned around and made their way back towards The Centre. "What are we going to do?"  
  
"We continue on as normal, looking for Jarod. We may be asked to help look for Miss Parker and the boy too. Either way we should keep our eyes and ears open and be prepared." Sydney had the feeling that things were only just beginning, but he would protect his children as best as he could.  
  
"For the worst?"  
  
"For the time when we ourselves may have to disappear."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Couldn't sleep?"  
  
Miss Parker smiled wearily at her kindly host. "Something like that, Ben", she replied as she eased herself into a chair. She wasn't sure if it was the coffee she'd imbibed in order to stay awake or something deeper. When she and the boy had arrived at Ben's she'd felt ready to drop but once she'd lain down she could only manage an hour or two and then found herself unable to get any more sleep. Maybe it was the urge to keep running. Maybe this was why Jarod would call her in the middle of the night, but who was she going to call?  
  
"Are you hungry yet? I can soon fix you something to eat", Ben asked as he took a seat opposite Miss Parker.  
  
Miss Parker shook her head even as her stomach growled. They had stopped on route to Ben's and she had introduced the boy to fast food; a burger, fries and milkshake. A lifetime of nutritional meals courtesy of The Centre made the food even more appealing and the boy had adored it, especially the milkshake.  
  
"Sounds as if you are", Ben chuckled.  
  
"I'll wait for him to wake" she replied indicating the sleeping boy upstairs with a nod of her head.  
  
"Coffee then?" Ben persisted.  
  
"Please. You must have plenty of questions Ben." They had turned up unannounced at his house earlier in the day and if Ben had been surprised to see them he never revealed it. Instead he had greeted her warmly, saying it had been too long and welcomed them both into his house. She hadn't had chance to offer up any explanations as Ben had seen how fatigued they both were and had ushered them upstairs to get some rest. Now she felt that she owed him some kind of explanation.  
  
"I do", Ben replied as he rose from his seat and began to make their drinks, "But as I told your mother countless times - you don't have to explain anything to me."  
  
Miss Parker watched as Ben finished his task and returned to the table with two fresh cups of coffee. "I took the boy, Ben. He doesn't belong to me but he didn't belong there either. And now, now we're on the run." She stated this rather calmly, a slight quiver in her voice at the end of the sentence revealing the sudden realisation of what she had done.   
  
Ben reached across and held her hand reassuringly. He had already assumed that much. "You are both welcome to stay here for as long as you need to." So much like her mother.  
  
Miss Parker smiled at his offer but she was reluctant to accept, it would be too risky for him. And this was her mother's sanctuary she didn't want it tainted with The Centre. Before she could decline the conversation was interrupted by shouting from upstairs. Miss Parker broke quickly into a run towards the commotion. As she threw open the door to the boy's room she found him sat upright on the bed. A quick surveillance of the room showed no one else present. "Bad dream?"  
  
The boy swung his legs over the side of the bed and felt for the floor. He swallowed thickly and nodded his head.  
  
Miss Parker sat down on the bed next to him, his face was white with fear. "It's ok", she soothed and snaked her arm around his shoulder. She let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding and felt her own heart beat begin to slow down. The panic that had overtaken her began to recede.  
  
The boy leant in to her, he felt better the moment she had entered the room. He tried to relax in an effort to exorcise the dream from his mind and looked up towards his protector, "I dreamt Mr Raines came here and he was angry and he... he..." The words stuck in his throat.  
  
"It's okay. I won't let him hurt you ever again", Miss Parker whispered softly as she silently cursed Raines. She kissed the top of the boys head and she felt him finally relax. On the way to Ben's they had also stopped at a department store for clothes and essentials; looking at the boy now Miss Parker realised it would take more than the jeans and running shoes he wore to become a normal kid.  
  
Ben watched the scene unfold from the doorway, more pieces of the puzzle fitting together. He felt sure Catherine would be proud of her daughter.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jarod sat in front of his laptop waiting for it to boot up and glanced at his father who slept soundly. They had made their way back to the hunting shack that morning after their exploits at Donoterase and had tried to get some rest. His father had no problems in that department but Jarod could only manage a negligible amount of sleep; tossing and turning the rest of the time, thanks in part to his usual nightmares, and now the added worry of Miss Parker and the boy. His attention turned on to the backpack, he really needed to go through the information he had stolen that morning but a beep from the laptop, indicating new mail, made him hold that thought.  
  
He watched the screen intently as he viewed the video file Angelo had sent him. He sent a silent thanks to his old friend for once again giving him an insight into The Centre. Once the video had ended Jarod stood up in disbelief; had Sydney betrayed him? It appeared that he had been involved in Project Gemini, had apparently lied to Jarod when he said he knew nothing about it. Jarod paced in front of the laptop and tried to organise his thoughts; he trusted Sydney of that he was sure - maybe it was all a ruse on Sydney's part? He sat back down in front of the laptop, if The Centre were keeping a very close watch on it's employees, as the file from Angelo suggested, then it would be impossible to speak to Sydney freely about this. He would have to find a way around that.  
  
Thanks to Angelo he now knew that Brigette was in charge of his own, and his father's, capture; and also, more worryingly, that Lyle was taking the lead in the hunt for Miss Parker and the boy. His thoughts then naturally turned to her and the boy; where would she go? He could SIM her but he'd never resorted to that before, he'd always felt uncomfortable about doing it. Besides, he knew her well enough not to need to throughout their game of 'chase'. He'd dug into her past, her family's past; he knew more about her than probably anyone else, and about her mother. Jarod grinned to himself, he suddenly had an idea as to where she may have gone. 


	4. CH IV

i) Thanks to Sabrina, Staceysedge, Miss Dynamite, Michelle and gemini006007 for leaving a review, at least I know someone is reading this! Sorry this is a bit shorter but there is more on the way.  
  
ii) 'So amazed, never saw it coming. Left me dazed and I don't know where to turn' (If I Fall, Aqualung)  
  
Chapter Four  
  
Miss Parker watched the boy from across the room. He was attempting to both watch television and read a book, seemingly drawn from one to the other, neither holding his attention for too long. After a moment he became aware of her presence and looked up at her.  
  
"Are you my mother?" he asked hopefully.  
  
Miss Parker's head spun as she walked over to him. "Your mother?"  
  
The boy put down his book, the one about names that they had picked up along with his new clothes. "Just today, that lady at the diner she called you my Mom... So did the lady at the store." Both times Miss Parker had not heard the comments and he had been unwilling to correct the assumption. The truth was that he hoped she was.   
  
Miss Parker sat down beside the boy, she had been waiting for the time when his questions became more about his own identity than the outside world and she had already promised herself that she would not lie to him. She wouldn't become her father. "What did Raines tell you about your parents?" She already had a feeling what the answer would be.  
  
"He said they were dead. Is that true?" Despite what Mr Raines had told him he had always clung on to the hope that his parents were alive. He couldn't remember them, he once asked for a photo of them but Mr Raines had gotten angry with him - as he always did when he asked questions. Often, on the coldest, lonliest nights, he woud try to imagine what they were like and that just maybe it had all been a mistake and that his parents were looking for him.  
  
Miss Parker took a deep breath and began. "Raines wasn't honest with you. Your parents..." Miss Parker paused, she knew this would be difficult but she hadn't counted on becoming so attached to the boy, the same thing had happened with Debbie. "Do you remember that I said you reminded me of a boy I used to know?" He nodded and she continued. "How he looked exactly like you?" Again, the boy nodded. "Raines copied that boy's DNA and he created you. He cloned you."  
  
The boy swallowed hard. It was not the answer he had hoped for and his hopes had been dashed. "I have no parents."  
  
"I'm sorry", Miss Parker whispered as she once again comforted him.  
  
"That man," the boy began, "the one at Donoterase who you were chasing." He had an awful feeling in the pit of his stomach. "It's him isn't it? I'm him." He couldn't stop the tears from falling.  
  
"Yes. His name is Jarod."  
  
"Why were you chasing him? Is it because he's bad?" He hoped that if Mr Raines had been lying to him about his parents then maybe he had lied to him about Jarod too.   
  
Miss Parker shuffled restlessly at the question but she had promised herself she wold tell the truth. "No Jarod is not a bad man - quite the opposite." She began to explain how Jarod had escaped from The Centre too and that he now spent his time helping people.  
  
"Then why were you chasing him?"  
  
Good question. "It's complicated. We used to be close as children but I let myself believe things about him that I knew weren't true just so I could avoid seeing him." Miss Parker frowned at the memory. "When he escaped I was given the job of returning him to The Centre - I made a deal, his freedom for mine."  
  
"Mr Raines told me that Jarod had killed my parents and he would hurt others too." He watched the surprise flitter across Miss Parker's face. "If you wanted to leave why didn't you just go?" She had obviously made plans to, the money and fake identification were proof of that.  
  
Another good question. "My father is the chairman, for a long time he was the only family I had - I would have been walking away from that." That wasn't really the truth she knew that. "For a long time I pretended that things that were happening in The Centre weren't really happening. When I started looking for Jarod he began to open my eyes as to what was really going on." She paused for a moment and smiled at the boy. "But by then I had also found out some things about my Mom, I needed more answers so I had to stick around."  
  
"But you've left all that behind now, haven't you?" He was relieved when she nodded her assent. "What about your answers? What will you do?"  
  
"What I promised you I would do, give you a chance to live." She could leave the answers about her mother for now, in her experience most questions at The Centre were only answered with even more questions anyway.  
  
The boy smiled at her. When she grinned back at him he knew everything would be okay. He didn't have to do SIMs and he was away from Mr Raines. That he didn't have parents really didn't bother him too much, he reasoned it was because he had no idea what he was missing out on, having never experienced that. He ony had his imaginings but Miss Parker was exceeding all of those.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jarod brought the truck to a halt a short distance from Ben's. He could see the house from there but was disappointed to note it seemed quiet. Now he just had to tell his father to wait in the truck. He had been tempted initially to leave his father at the hunting shack and come alone but he had discarded that thought, they had only just been reunited. Instead he had roused his father from sleep and with a quick, and very abridged, explanation they were on their way. Jarod was certain his father had questions even though they had both been silent throughout their journey. "Why don't you wait here Dad?"  
  
"I've come this far Jarod, what harm is a few more feet going to do?"  
  
Jarod didn't want to speculate what harm Miss Parker may inflict if she saw the Major - she was still under the impression that Charles had murdered her mother. "I just think it's best if I go alone - we don't know who, if anyone, is in there."  
  
Charles shifted in his seat to face Jarod. "What is it really, son?"  
  
Jarod sighed and explained the situation to his father, reiterating that he didn't believe his father could be responsible for Catherine's death.  
  
Charles digested the information and agreed to stay behind even though he thought he would be able to convince Miss Parker he had not harmed her mother.  
  
Jarod approached the house cautiously and, after a quick surveillance to ascertain there were no sweepers lurking about, he knocked on Ben's door.  
  
"Jarod!" Ben exclaimed at the sight in front of him. He had a feeling that Jarod would turn up and he ushered the younger man into the house.  
  
Jarod had felt the anticipation building and then the biting disappointment as it became obvious that Miss Parker and the boy were not there. He listened half heartedly as Ben informed him about his earlier guests and how they had only just left. He sat down dejectedly on the sofa and tried to sort out his thoughts. Was this how Miss Parker felt every time that he had sent her a clue that he knew she wouldn't crack 'til he was long gone. How he had enjoyed those times when she and her team had arrived just in time to see him disappearing down the road; he would always wave and grin at her just to tick her off some more. And it was always Miss Parker who would be annoyed the most, Sydney and Broots would shrug it off. Of course he realised it depended on how badly one wanted something as to how frustated one would get; Sydney and Broots had no compunction in catching him. It niggled at him just how annoyed he was.  
  
"Jarod?" Ben had seen the disappointment on Jarod's face and had stopped his explanation as it became obvious the younger man wasn't listening. He called again to get Jarod's attention.  
  
Jarod looked up at Ben and offered his apologies. He listened more intently this time, Miss Parker and the boy had left a couple of hours ago. They hadn't told Ben where they were heading but they seemed okay. Mindful of his father waiting patiently in the truck and of losing their trail, Jarod made his excuses and, promising to let Ben know any developments, left.  
  
Charles watched his son approach the truck, alone. As Jarod got into the truck he gave a brief explanation of what had happened but Charles sensed his osn was holding out on him and decided to try and get some answers for himself. "Are you going to tell me what is going on between you and Miss Parker?" He blurted out the question and couldn't take it back.   
  
Jarod sighed deeply. "It's complicated Dad. I have trouble understanding it myself most of the time." He started the engine but made no attempt to drive away. At Charles' expectant gaze Jarod explained the intracacies of his relationship with Miss Parker; the stolen moments in the bowels of The Centre as children, the strange dance they had led the past three years and he found himself defending her character even though his father made no attempt to disparage it.  
  
Charles sat back in his seat, sated by Jarod's explanation. He thought there might be problems when, and it would be a matter of when rather than if, they caught up with her and the boy but he would face that problem when it arrived. He told Jarod as much as he began to drive away. "Any idea where we are heading?"  
  
Jarod shook his head, he really didn't know. According to Ben she had enough cash and a new vehicle so Jarod assumed she must have been making preparations to leave for some time. He was both pleased and saddened by this assumption: the former because she was away from that place; the latter because he assumed the plans were put in place because of Thomas, and if he was truthful because he would miss her. 


	5. CH V

i) Thanks to thestrokes5551, Staceysedge, gemini006007, Miss Dynamite, Sabrina, Michelle and Nancy for your reviews. Hope you keep reading and enjoying.  
  
ii) 'Because the people who kill the king are the people who move from within.' (OCS, Expensive Chair)  
  
Chapter Five  
  
Lyle sauntered into the hunting shack maintaining a cool exterior, this was strictly a tip about Jarod and the major after all. Brigette had followed the tip earlier that day and once he heard about it, by snarling at Broots, he followed her. He was beginning to feel that she would have the better deal, after all Jarod would often taunt The Centre with clues to his whereabouts and would keep in touch because of Sydney - he couldn't see Miss Parker doing anything similar. He decided his best option was to stay close to Brigette and not just for the obvious reasons. He still thought that Jarod must have something to do with Miss Parker's escape, despite the lack of evidence to prove this. He plastered on his best smile as Brigette approached him.  
  
"Hello love", Brigette purred. "What brings you here?" He had followed her out to Donoterase as well, in fact he had been shadowing her very closely of late.  
  
Lyle glared at the only sweeper present until the man took the hint and left. Lyle could see this lead was cold, Jarod was long gone if he ever was there, so he moved on to more important matters. "I just can't seem to keep away from you." He would be keeping a very close eye on her and not just because his father had asked him to; it was more why he had been asked to and it was something he planned to use to his advantage, ushering in a new era at The Centre. "We need to work more closely from now on, old man's orders."  
  
Brigette smiled at Lyle, unaware she was reflecting his own false features. "Is that right?" She hadn't heard about that but her husband's increasing agitation had drawn her attention. Since Mtumbo's encampment at The Centre there had been a collective 'walking on eggshells' approach.  
  
Lyle nodded his head, "It is." He walked over to the window of the shack and checked for any 'ears', confident there were none he turned his gaze back to Brigette. "It's a time of great change, but you and I we can take advantage of that." For a moment he thought that she wouldn't bite, he could easily back pedal if she wouldn't play along - it would just be easier if she did.  
  
Brigette's smile did not falter as she contemplated Lyle's offer. He was right things were changing and, at this point in time, not necessarily in her favour. Marrying Mr Parker had been an advantageous move at the time, and it had pissed Miss Parker off no end - she had enjoyed that immensely. But it hadn't panned out as she had imagined, Mr Parker was more concerned with producing more offspring. Couldn't he be content with a psychotic son and a treacherous daughter? No, she had a feeling she had been played from the start of her dealings with The Centre. "And how would we do that?" Brigette asked her handsome step son.  
  
Lyle grinned devilishly. That they had a history, albeit a strange one, only made it easier to manipulate her. "The way I see it there are only two people standing in our way." He let the words sink in as he closed the gap between them. "Two very incompetent people. Losing one pretender is sloppy, losing two is unforgivable wouldn't you say?"  
  
Brigette understood where he was going with this. "And how would we pull this off?" She didn't trust him but there was no reason to let him in on that. No better to go along with him and have a back up plan just in case, standard procedure really.  
  
"Some people have a nasty habit of trusting the wrong people." Lyle explained prophetically, it was all too easy. She would understand what he meant, hopefully not applying it to herself. Miss Parker's betrayal was whispered about in the corridors of The Centre when employees thought no one was listening. Mr Parker trusted the wrong people: Catherine, Miss Parker, Raines and now he had placed his trust in his only son and heir.   
  
Brigette stared into Lyle's eyes, at the confidence that lay there and also at the twinkle - the one that screamed 'untrustworthy' at her. "And Raines?"  
  
"I believe you can handle him". Lyle winked conspiratorally at her. He never tired of playing these games and he would do anything to be the one in charge.  
  
Despite, or maybe because of, the nagging doubts she agreed. She passed off such doubts as hormones, besides she'd have her ass covered in other ways. But she couldn't shake off the thought that she had sold what remained of her soul to the devil himself.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mtumbo stood at the window observing the view from what had previously been Miss Parker's office. She had been gone a week and he had removed all trace of her from the room and made it his own, even though he wasn't intending to stay long. He was originally supposed to be in Africa now with the boy, instead he was stuck here with this mess. And the boy, by all accounts, was supposed to have been more talented than the original, and would have been under the triumverate's control too. Mtumbo was aware of Mr Parker and Raines waiting patiently but he let them simmer a bit longer. He trusted neither despite Raines' position as the inside man for the Triumverate. As he finally turned around to face them he asked about their progress.  
  
Mr Parker hesitated, as did Raines. Mr Parker sighed inwardly, as chairman the responsibility was his - though currently he felt he had very little power at The Centre. "We have our best people working on the 'problem'."  
  
Mtumbo rested his large frame into what was now his chair. "You have always had your 'best people' on it with little success. The longer the boy is out there the more corrupted he will become and harder to manipulate. He will be spoiled, wouldn't you agree Mr Raines?"  
  
Raines grabbed the opportunity he was given. "Yes. Project Gemini's increased success was due to the fact there have been no outside influences." He paused to catch his breath. "Miss Parker should have never been given access to the boy, she's too much like her mother." Raines had no problem laying down his allegiences, belittling Mr Parker in the process.  
  
Before Mr Parker could defend himself Mtumbo stepped in. He was tired of the in fighting that had erupted the past week. "Gentlemen please." He waited for them both to return their attentions to him. "Your energies could be better spent retrieving what has been lost." They both nodded their agreement. "I am not a patient man and what patience I have is wearing thin. Do you understand?" Again both men nodded and he dismissed them with a wave of his hand.  
  
Mtumbo waited until they had left the room before rising and standing at the window once more. The other members of the Triumverate had been as dismayed as himself at the recent events. He would keep in regular contact with them for as long as need be. There were plenty of questions being asked, the most pertinent challenging The Centre leadership and Mtumbo found himself agreeing. But who would replace them? On the other hand would it be better to close operations all together? The Centre was no longer attracting the kind of revenue it once did, their best of source of income had disappeared and now so had the replacement. Mtumbo took a deep breath and released it slowly. Yes, even Donoterase had gone now, what did The Centre have to offer? And was it becoming a liability?   
  
Angelo sat hunched in the vent of his old friends office. Bad. Things were bad.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mr Parker returned to his office to find Lyle waiting there for him. He had not spoken to Raines as they had left Mtumbo's office, Raines had made it clear where he stood. Once again he found his thoughts turning to ways of eliminating the 'problem' that was Raines.  
  
"How did it go with Mtumbo?" Lyle asked the question even though it was obvious from Mr Parker's expression things had not gone well at all. He watched as the older man slumped into his chair apparently deep in thought. "That well huh?"  
  
Mr Parker raised his eyes to look at Lyle, the one person he had entrusted the future of The Centre to. "Could have been worse." As he spoke he noticed his desk had been tampered with but he never mentioned it to Lyle. He was angry that Lyle would do that, he was sure Lyle was responsible - everything had been in place before the meeting with Mtumbo-, but he was more angry that Lyle had been so sloppy about it. "Are you taking care of our future?" Was he being that sloppy with everything else?  
  
"It's in hand." Lyle replied but added, "Don't worry, I'm taking care of it", when Mr Parker narrowed his eyes at him.  
  
"Anything else on the boy's whereabouts?"  
  
"No. Just the few false sightings we've had of Miss Parker." He noticed his father flinch at her name. "I have Broots and Sydney under surveillance should she try to contact either of them."  
  
"Dammit Lyle, Mtumbo is not going to wait forever." Mr Parker shouted through gritted teeth, frustration evident on his face. He figured they had one or two months, three at the most, before the Triumverate took matters into hand. Did Lyle not realise he would be in the firing line too? Or did he have something up his sleeve, could he really trust his son? He had thought he could trust his daughter.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Raines arrived back at his office, escorted by Willie, to find Brigette sat on his desk. He sent Willie away and moved to his seat. "Well?" He growled the words out so they sounded more like a demand than a question.   
  
Brigette pouted and made her way around to Raines' side of the desk and placed herself down in front of him. "There were some papers in his desk. They referred to another project at Donoterase." Brigette smiled triumphantly.  
  
"What 'other' project!?" Raines was perturbed to hear this, he knew everything that went on at The Centre, didn't he?  
  
"I need some assurances. You're asking me to betray my husband, my family." Brigette said seriously, losing the smile. She was quite pleased at herself about the papers she had found. She was more pleased that by coincidence, or by a stroke of luck, Lyle was the next one into Mr Parker's office - she had left the desk disrupted hoping to pin the blame on Lyle anyway.  
  
Raines snorted his disgust. He attempted a smile to cover for this but gave up, it just wasn't in him. "There will be a place for you, I have always promised you that. Now, what was the project?"  
  
Brigette shrugged her shoulders. "It followed on from Project Gemini, the paper wasn't very explicit. There was no project name or any hints at what it involved." Brigette was being half truthful - the papers had also mentioned a second DNA sample. It was something she wanted to look into herself.  
  
Raines grunted his dissatisfaction. He would find out what this project entailed. The files wouls not be in the mainframe if it had been kept a secret from him for so long. He surmised that any information would be at Donoterase - or would have been there. 


	6. CH VI

i) Thanks to Nancy, gemini006007, Miss Dynamite, Staceysedge, and Sabrina for letting me know what you think (and being so nice about it too!) Hope you keep on reading.  
  
ii) 'Panic is blue, so is the truth' (Starsailor, Could You Be Mine?)  
  
Chapter Six  
  
Miss Parker watched happily as the boy cleared his plate, it was her first attempt at cooking for some time. There had never seemed a reason to bother before, when it was just herself. Her refrigerator usually consisted of sour milk, limp salad and stale bread - jetting around the country at a moments notice had an adverse effect on the contents. When he had finished the boy sat back in contentment and Miss Parker took this as a sign that her culinary skills had not abandoned her.  
  
He rubbed his stomach absent mindedly, dessert was going to be ice cream - something he had discovered not long ago - but her feared he may have eaten too much. Miss Parker's soft chuckle caused him to look up at her.  
  
"Shall we save the ice cream for later?"  
  
He grinned at her and once again reflected on his sudden good fortune, the change in his life that the woman sat opposite had instigated. "What's your first name?" The question was partly curiousity about her and partly a way to broach the subject of his own dilemma.  
  
Miss Parker sat back in her chair and contemplated the boy for a moment or two. An image from over twenty years ago popped into her mind, of a secret whispered - one that had never been betrayed. Everyone knew her as Miss Parker; at school, at college, and especially at The Centre. Even Thomas had not been entrusted with that secret, despite his best efforts. Keeping it a secret was a way of shutting people out, never letting them in entirely. As she told the boy her secret, initiating him into a very select group, she realised how much he had enamoured himself to her. And she found she didn't mind at all.  
  
"That's a pretty name." He had been studying the book of names that she had given him for some time but was no closer to choosing one for himself. It had not escaped his notice that most people received their names from their parents at birth but he'd never had that chance. His genetic parents had been unaware of his existence.  
  
"Have you chosen a name yet?"   
  
"No, there are so many I can't decide." He dropped his eyes and played nervously with his fork as he spoke, it was only a half lie but still...  
  
"Is that all it is?" Miss Parker prodded a little further, something told her it was more than that. He finally lifted his gaze back to her and she stared deep into those familar pools of brown, but didn't see Jarod there. She suddenly grasped his hesitation. "Well I need to call you something don't I?" She smiled as she spoke, she had previously relied upon catching the boy's attention through eye contact but he needed a name. He needed to be an individual.  
  
The boy nodded his head.  
  
"Okay." She looked him over from head to toe as if deciding, though she had a name in mind already. "I'm going to call you Matthew. When, or if, you decide on something better let me know."   
  
He rolled the word over his tongue a couple of times - he liked it, though he knew she could have chosen any name and he would still have liked it because she had given it to him. "Okay."  
  
"Good. So are you going to give me a hand with these dishes Matthew?"  
  
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Jarod sighed heavily and closed the laptop down. He was no closer to finding Miss Parker and the boy and he was beginning to get frustrated. He imagined Miss Parker must have been even more so after three years of this but at least she had the occassional clue, knew where he had been. He didn't even know if they were both okay. He was a pretender, a genius who had helped to put many families together yet he couldn't even find his own family. Bumping into the Major had been a complete fluke, and though one person had been returned to his life, he had lost another two from it.  
  
"No luck?" Charles cautiously approached his son already knowing the answer. He had duly followed his son all over the country trying to locate Miss Parker and the boy knowing how much it meant to Jarod. Jarod's growing frustration had begun to unsettle him however and his obsession with finding them bordered on the unhealthy. And more importantly there were other people to be found too. His wife and daughter, Jarod's mother and sister, were out there somewhere - and just as important to their lives, surely?  
  
Jarod rubbed his eyes wearily, "No."   
  
Charles decided that it was time to make his feelings known, he had enjoyed the time spent with his son, getting to know him all over again. But his wife and daughter played on his mind heavily, he felt torn between his family once again. But he hoped that flushed with the success of finding his son that maybe he would have success in other areas.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sydney tried to focus on his paperwork, despite the late hour, but found his attention wandered back to the same problem. He worried about Miss Parker even though he knew she could take care of herself, but how was she coping with the boy? He knew that she had managed with Broots' daughter but this was for a longer period of time and with a boy who looked like Jarod. And despite her protestations he knew she struggled with her feelings for Jarod; would being with the boy drag all those feelings to the surface? Was that why she had taken the boy? Sydney couldn't decide if that would be a good thing or not. And there had been no contact from Jarod. No direct contact anyway, he had sent a few clues to his 'supposed' whereabouts but these had led to nothing.  
  
  
  
There were more pressing matters closer to home - Angelo had appeared in his office the other day somewhat distraught. Sydney was unable to coax out of the other man exactly what had upset him so, Angelo would only repeat one word over and over again, 'Bad'. It took some time before Sydney could calm him down, but Angelo remained silent after this. Sydney had found himself pleading with the younger man to show him what he meant, he knew Angelo understood more of the world around him than other people assumed. But to his dismay Angelo had then scuttled off into the recesses of The Centre.  
  
Sydney was also spending more time trying to calm an increasingly nervous Broots. There were several rumours doing the rounds concerning The Centre's, and its employees, future and none of them were particulary favourable. Unless you were Mtumbo. The African had been assessing many of The Centre's current projects as well as reviewing some of its previous endeavours. Despite his soothing to Broots, Sydney was under no illusions. Having spent the majority of his life at The Centre he knew how things worked, and he had begun to make preparations for those he felt deserved a future.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Brigette raised her glass to signal the waiter.  
  
"Don't you think you should cut back? Dad wouldn't be pleased if anything happened to the baby."  
  
Brigette smiled at Lyle but held the glass aloft until the waiter came by and refilled it for her. "He's very concerned about the baby, so are you." Brigette took a sip from the glass but held onto it in defiance.  
  
"He's already lost one child, he would be distraught to lose another." Lyle reached over and took the glass from her hand, and was surprised she relented so easily.   
  
Brigette smirked at this. "Who's to say it's his child?" She leant over and stroked his hand.  
  
Lyle's smile faded. "What are you saying?" He knew exactly what she was suggesting but it couldn't be true. She couldn't concieve naturally, he had seen her medical files.  
  
"We were very close, weren't we?" Brigette toyed with him. What had begun as an attempt to get at Lyle's paternal attitude towards the baby of late, was taking a very interesting turn. He seemed very protective of the baby but horrified of the prospect that it just may be his.  
  
"Nice try but you can't have children that way, hence the IVF." Lyle retorted smugly. He didn't like where this conversation was heading. His plans were built around this baby, it couldn't be his.  
  
"I know love, but your face was priceless." Brigette laughed and Lyle smiled back at her. She noted he seemed somewhat relieved at the confirmation. A thought crossed her mind and she decided to look into it further, or have Broots look into it - it was safer that way, for her anyway.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jarod waved his father off at dawn before retreating back into the motel. They had spoken at length the night before about the best course of action to take, each man pressing for their side of the search. Jarod had understood his father's need to find Margaret and Emily; it was his desire to find them too, he just thought it was more important to find Miss Parker and the boy, they were in more danger from The Centre right now, his mother and sister had managed to evade capture for so long they had virtually disapeared. He wanted to find Miss Parker before she had chance to do the same.   
  
He was thankful that his father had understood this. Both men could see the other's point of view and a deal was struck; they would part for now but keep in regular contact, Charles would concentrate on finding Margaret and Emily, Jarod on finding Miss Parker and the boy. It was only now that his father had left that Jarod's attention returned to the backpack, the one he had filled with files when he was at Donoterase. He had been so focussed on other matters he had overlooked it.  
  
Jarod settled down on the bed and proceeded to read through the files. Some contained information about the boy, about the problems that had been encountered whilst trying to clone the pretender. His mind flashed back to the specimens he had seen at Donoterase and Jarod's anger began to rise at the blase attitude of The Centre. And how once again they had used his work to further themselves.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Broots sat nervously at his computer. He had thought about not turning up for work that morning, just taking Debbie and leaving instead, never looking back. He wished he had now.   
  
Brigette walked behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders, "I need you to do something for me."   
  
He should have just gone with his gut and took Debbie. It would have worked out somehow, he'd have made it work. "With what?", he whispered as he felt Brigette's fingernail trail along the back of his neck.   
  
Brigette leant closer in and whispered in his ear. "I need you to find out about a project at Donoterase."  
  
"Gemini?" Broots wondered if this was another attempt to wrangle the truth from him again so remained cautious. He felt Brigette shake her head.  
  
"Something else was going on there, I need to know what." Now that there was no Miss Parker it would be easier to manipulate the balding technician, though admittedly not so much fun.   
  
"Um. What do you want me to do?"  
  
Brigette smiled and looked at Broots in the reflection of the computer screen. "Whatever it was that you did for Miss Parker. She always seemed to know more than she should have."  
  
Broots squirmed under her scrutiny. He couldn't exactly refuse. "Okay."  
  
Brigette straightened, satisfied with his response. "This stays between us. And just us, okay?" When Broots nodded she continued, "This project started some time after Gemini, it's got something to do with the genetic research that was begun. I need to know about Project Silence."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jarod threw the file across the room causing the contents to spill out as it hit the wall. He shouldn't have been surprised by his findings but it never ceased to amaze him how The Centre played God. He was only just coming to terms with the fact that they had cloned him and now... He stood and begun to gather the files together, his mind trying to establish the next course of action, his stomach in knots. He could contact Angelo, his old friend had a knack of knowing what was going on in The Centre. He needed to know what progress had been made in Project Silence. 


	7. CH VII

i) Thanks to gemini006007, Nancy, Staceysedge and Sabrina for once again letting me know what you think.   
  
ii) 'I was just guessing, at numbers and figures' ('The Scientist',Coldplay)  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
Sydney caressed his brow with the fingers of both hands before resting back in his chair and closing his eyes. He had just been speaking to Lyle who was on his way to follow a possible lead on Miss Parker and the boy, and once again Lyle had declined his offer of assistance. Sydney could only hope that the lead was false or at least 'out of date'. Brigette, too, had made it clear that she did not want his assistance in pursuing Jarod, making some snide comment about his lack of success in the previous years. They had both made it clear they did not need his, or Broots', help in that department. All Sydney was used for now was going over old clues and offering up psychological analyses of the 'escapees' - which he believed neither Lyle nor Brigette took an iota of interest in. Now that he had more time on his hands for his other projects though he found he couldn't concentrate.  
  
He picked the phone up on the first ring, something he had taken to doing since Miss Parker had left so abruptly. "This is Sydney".  
  
"You lied to me about Gemini."  
  
"Jarod!" Sydney leaned forward onto his desk in surprise, he had not heard from the pretender in weeks. "I...", Sydney faltered, conscious of 'others' who may be listening.  
  
"I won't be contacting you again, by phone or e-mail." Jarod stated plainly, no hint of anger in his voice, and then hung up.  
  
Sydney held onto the phone dumbly, the dial tone only half registering in his mind as he processed what had just occurred. He hung up the phone and turned his attention to his computer. Sure enough there was an e-mail waiting for him.  
  
"Er... Syd?" Broots half stumbled, half ran into the room. He closed the door firmly behind him and nervously approached the older man.  
  
Sydney only briefly lifted his gaze to his guest before returning his attention to the contents of his inbox. "What is it Broots?"   
  
Broots paced nervously about the floor, Brigette's words ringing in his ears. Despite her warning to keep quiet his instinct was to confide in Sydney, but maybe just not here. "Could I speak to you... um privately?" When Sydney finally looked up at him again, this time with his eyebrows raised, Broots gestured outside with his hands.  
  
Sydney nodded his assent and, after scanning the contents of the e-mail one final time, deleted the message from Jarod. He glanced at his watch wondering if he had enough time to counsel Broots before he had to meet Jarod. He grabbed his jacket and put a reassuring hand on Broots shoulder, leading him outside.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Raines strode confidently, as one could when one is wheeling an oxygen tank behind, into Mtumbo's office. The African sat calmly at his desk, flanked on either side by security personnel, flown in especially. It was a sign to Raines that Mtumbo did not trust any one at The Centre. He took a seat opposite once Mtumbo had gestured that he should.  
  
"What is it you want, Mr Raines?"   
  
What he really wanted to know was the Triumverates real thoughts on The Centre's future but he didn't ask outright. He had more sense than that. He had heard the rumours flying around at the moment, most of them were implausible but this was The Centre; anything could happen. And the staff knew that, people were beginning to get edgy. Not just inside The Centre either, some of their oldest 'business' associates were beginning to voice concerns too. "Have you had chance to discuss with the Triumverate my offer?"  
  
Mtumbo maintained a neutral face. He had spoken to them about Raines' ambitions regarding the chairmanship of The Centre as soon as he voiced them. However the Triumverate were not favourable to the idea, which was in concurrence with Mtumbo's own feelings on the matter. Raines had served his purpose over the years but it was not something they were going to reward him for, at least not in the way Raines desired. "I have discussed your proposal with them and they are taking it under consideration."  
  
"Very well. I remain at your service, as always." Raines paused for breath, he had a feeling he was being brushed off. "Have you been able to find all the information you desire so far?", Raines enquired as innocently as he could. Mtumbo was currently in the process of reviewing all of The Centre's projects and he wondered if he had discovered anything about the other project at Donoterase, the one Mr Parker was involved in.  
  
"Everything is in hand at the moment. Is there anything else?" Mtumbo remained impassive as Raines repsonded in the negative and left. He dismissed his minders and they took up position outside of the office. He turned his attention back towards the files he was currently reviewing. The Centre had been involved in some profitable ventures, the most prominent being the pretender project, and that had to be taken into consideration. On the other hand there had been numerous indiscretions over the years; Catherine Parker being a major proponent of that. And now her daughter had continued on in that vein. Maybe he should have extended the termination order to Miss Parker, as well as her mother. Raines would have had no qualms about that.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sydney brought the vehicle to a halt, slightly skidding as he had sped to reach the arranged rendezvous on time. His conversation with Broots had taken longer than he thought it would. And it had unnerved him too, no wonder Broots had been so edgy. He had tried to convince Broots to leave but the younger man had resisted, hanging on to the idea that he could help Miss Parker by staying. Sydney agreed with him; it was the main reason he had hung around so long, so many people to look out for. He had left the younger man searching The Centre's mainframe for information and erasing Sydney's message from Jarod permanently, as a precaution. Broots had also agreed to cover for his current abscence.  
  
He walked up to the cabin, the place he had buried his brother not so long ago. He had cautiously taken a longer, protracted route to get there, despite the lack of time, just in case he was being followed. Now he just hoped Jarod had not given up on him. As he entered he saw no signs that there was anybody else about. He began to wander from room to room, quietly calling out Jarod's name. It was only when he returned to the room where he had begun his search did he find the other man.  
  
"Hello Sydney." The pretender had taken off a dust sheet and made himself comfortable on the sofa.  
  
Sydney could not stop the smile spreading across his face at the younger mans appearance, despite the current circumstances. "It's good to see you."  
  
Jarod offered up a half smile in response. "You knew about Gemini yet you didn't tell me."  
  
"I couldn't at that time, Jarod. I was planning on enlightening you as to the boy's whereabouts." Sydney explained as best as he could the circumstances surrounding his involvement in the project.  
  
"Miss Parker beat you to it though. Have you heard from her Sydney?" Jarod could not keep the hint of desperation from his voice as he asked.  
  
Sydney shook his head sadly.   
  
"I need your help with something. Something that may involve her."   
  
Sydney raised his eyebrows for the second time that morning. "If I can Jarod."  
  
Jarod ran one hand through his hair and leant forward. "The Centre were running another project at Donoterase, one called silence." Jarod witnessed a flash of recognition cross the older mans face.  
  
Sydney finally sat down, taking a seat across from Jarod. He ignored the crinkle of the dust sheet beneath him.  
  
"You've heard about it.", Jarod growled. If it weren't for the accompanying look of shock on the older man's face, Jarod would have thought he was being lied to again.  
  
"Yes. This morning Broots came to see me, he was somewhat on edge. Brigette had accosted him. She asked him to look into something called Project Silence."  
  
"Brigette?" Jarod began to process this new piece of information. Brigette was obviously being kept out of the loop too, in fact according to the files he had liberated from Donoterase there were very few people who were actually in the loop. A grim thought pushed into his mind.  
  
"What is this about Jarod? And how does it involve Miss Parker?" Sydney's shoulders sunk a little lower, he refused to even debate what new atrocity The Centre had committed until he knew the truth.  
  
"Cloning me wasn't enough Sydney. Early tests on Project Gemini showed an improvement due to the environment he was raised in." Jarod's face grew darker. "But that wasn't enough. They wanted to increase my abilities, they were planning to breed a new, improved pretender." Jarod churned out the information through clenched jaw.  
  
Sydney sank into his seat, "And Miss Parker..." He let the sentence trail off, he had an awful feeling in the pit of his stomach.   
  
"She's a red file, Sydney. The potential of any offspring was too great to ignore." Jarod muttered, his voice quieter. "It's Mr Parker's project, too.", Jarod explained bitterly.  
  
Sydney wanted desperately, at that moment, to reach out to his protege, to comfort him. There were no cameras recording his every interaction with Jarod this time, an obstacle that had prevented him previously. This time though it was the fear that he would be rejected, Jarod had his father now, so he resisted. "What can I do, Jarod?"  
  
Rubbing his tired eyes, Jarod contemplated his mentor. "I don't know what stage the project is at. Most of the information I have is sketchy at best. They were attempting to create new reproductive cells encoded with each of our DNA. The project was based on some research that I had started, looking at fertility problems."  
  
Sydney nodded his head in remembrance. It was one of The Centres more altruistic projects, that was why it had been shelved. Or so he had thought, obviously Mr Parker had seen the potential.   
  
"From the papers I have I believe they had gotten that far, to actually creating those cells. I just need to know how much further they went Sydney. I need to know if there are any more members of my family out there."  
  
He could feel the younger man's pain, it was still raw. A sudden thought jabbed at him, "Do you think Brigette is involved, unknowingly, in this somehow?"  
  
"She appears to have no overt involvement with the project but I don't think she can be ruled out of the equation." Jarod picked the words out carefully, unwilling to voice the possibilty that Brigette may be carrying his child. His and Miss Parker's child.  
  
Sydney furrowed his brow, they were thinking along the same lines even though neither man would say the exact words. "If it's true, what will you do?"  
  
The pretender shook his head, "I don't know Sydney." He looked into the eyes of the man he had wished was his father for most of his life. "The thought of sharing a child with Miss Parker is not abhorrent to me, as long as that child does not have to grow up as I did. The fact that Brigette may be involved unsettles me more."  
  
Sydney nodded, understandingly.  
  
"I need to know for sure before I make any plans." The possible involvement of Brigette could cause problems.  
  
"There were no samples left at Donaterase then?" Sydney remembered the explosion at Donoterase almost a month ago now and had figured Jarod had been involved.  
  
Jarod smiled grimly at Sydney's insight. "There was not much left at Donoterase." He found himself recounting the images he had seen there - something he had been unable to tell his father.  
  
"Broots and I will see what we can uncover, Jarod. What about Miss Parker?" Sydney wondered how long it would take Miss Parker to return to The Centre, albeit only to murder Mr Parker, once she found out about the project.  
  
Jarod shrugged his shoulders. "I'm working on it Sydney. I'm beginning to have a lot more respect for the hunters. But I won't give up." He handed Sydney a cell phone number he could be contacted on should he and Broots uncover anything.  
  
"If you fnd her you will let me know?" Sydney asked. This time it was Sydney who could not keep the worry from his voice.  
  
Jarod nodded and stood to leave. "Be careful Sydney."  
  
"You too, Jarod." Sydney watched the younger man disappear out of the door. He looked down at the scrap of paper the number was on and committed it to memory as he absently began to replace the cover on Jarod's vacated seat, it would be some time before he came back again. Before he left he took the opportunity to visit Jacob's grave. Standing there his thoughts began to turn to the past, of how he should have done something all those years ago to stop this mess from happening. What could he have done though? He couldn't change the past, not now. What had happened back then; Jarod's, and the others, abductions, Catherine's death, Jacob's 'accident', and The Centre's descent into Hell, he accepted them. The only thing he could do was learn from his mistakes and make sure they didn't happen all over again. Thoughts of Catherine and Jacob turned to thoughts of Miss Parker and Jarod; he knew what was most important to him now. 


	8. CH VIII

i) Thanks to gemini006007, Miss Dynamite, and Sabrina for reviewing. It's a little longer than usual, hope you enjoy.  
  
ii) 'Don't forget to be the way you are' (Plasticine, Placebo)  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
Jarod took a deep breath before knocking lightly on the door. The house was non descript, fitting perfectly with the other houses that it was situated within. In fact there was nothing out of the ordinary about the whole neighbourhood; there were hundreds of other similar suburbs dotted about the land. The only difference, to Jarod, were the inhabitants of this particular address.  
  
As the door slowly opened Jarod exhaled in relief at the sight in front of him. For a moment the two the figures stared at each other, each seemingly unable to find the appropriate words.   
  
"Mom!"  
  
Jarod remained rooted to the spot. Everything he had planned to say forgotten for the moment, the boy's single word throwing him off balance. He remained in constant eye contact with the person stood opposite until, from the corner of his vision, he noticed Miss Parker rushing into the hallway. If she felt any surprise she didn't show it as she walked up to his clone and placed her hand reassuringly on the boy's shoulder.   
  
"You took your time." They were the only words she spoke, her voice neutral.   
  
Jarod smiled at her statement, if only she knew how hard it had been to find her. "I just missed you at Ben's." He extended his smile down to the boy but only received a half smile in response. Miss Parker, dressed casually in jeans and a shirt, stood protectively behind him. The threesome remained that way for some time, each lost in their own separate thoughts.  
  
"Are you going to come in?" It was the youngest of the house who spoke up, surprising both of the adults.  
  
Jarod's eyes flickered between the two occupants before accepting the offer. He was led into the small house by his clone, leaving Miss Parker to close the door. Jarod noticed the lack of personal belongings as he was led into the small living room, he turned his head to see Miss Parker following. He could sense no hostility directed towards him, in fact he wondered if she had even considered her own feelings concerning him, her attention was focussed on the boy. It hadn't escaped his notice that the boy had called her 'Mom' and if circumstances had been different he would have jumped at the chance to tease her about it.  
  
"Do you want a drink?" Again it was the boy who spoke up, a bit surer of himself this time.  
  
Jarod nodded happily as he took a seat on the comfy sofa, one of the very few items in the room. A quick glance at Miss Parker confirmed that she still had her attention on the boy. Once Jarod had chosen from the various beverages offered to him, and his clone had departed to the kitchen, he felt Miss Parker's attention finally turn towards him.  
  
"How did you find us?", Miss Parker asked softly. She had resigned herself to the fact Jarod would find her eventually, it would just be a matter of time.  
  
"I'm a genius, remember?" He watched as she contemplated his response, marvelling in how relaxed she seemed. In actual fact it was a fluke, a coincidence, some may say even fate itself that he had found them. His father had been following a lead on Margaret and Emily, only that wasn't who he found. Jarod was thankful that his father had resisted the urge to approach her himself, instead he had contacted Jarod immediately.  
  
Miss Parker approached her old foe and stood, arms crossed, in front of him. "What do you want, Jarod?" She knew what he wanted; Matthew.   
  
Jarod sighed and tried to stop the smile that was threatening to break out across his face. Her attachment to the boy was apparent and, if he was honest, it surprised him a little; despite the fact he had always known that deep inside she had a heart. "I'm not going to take him away from you Parker. I just want the chance to get to know him." And to know her again.   
  
Miss Parker unfurled her arms and sighed. "His name is Matthew. I swear to God Jarod if you do anything to hurt him, ever, I will kill you."  
  
Jarod nodded in response, the whole idea was absurd. The only person who would get hurt would be Parker when she found out what else The Centre had been up to. But that could wait a little longer, there were other bridges to be built first.  
  
Miss Parker stood back a little, "Jarod, Raines told Matthew that you murdered his parents." She couldn't help the bitterness creep into her voice.  
  
"That's why he's a little nervous", Jarod said, more to himself than anyone else. That Raines had told such lies was not shocking but still hurt all the same.   
  
"We've discussed in depth the 'truth' about your connection. I think his curiousity about you will overcome any lies he was told." Miss Parker took a seat across from Jarod as Matthew returned, laden with drinks and questions.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Broots blinked at the screen with little success. He rubbed his eyes and found an improvement, his vision was no longer double. He was tired and thoughts of home, and his bed, filled his mind. He should really go home and get some rest but it wasn't a real option - Brigette was expecting answers and he still had his normal Centre duties to fulfill. And he was still worried about getting caught red handed.  
  
"Any luck so far?"  
  
The mixture of tiredness and deep concentration meant he hadn't even realised Sydney had entered the room. "None, Brigette is not going to be happy", he whined.  
  
Sydney took a seat and observed the younger man. Broots looked tired, he had a valid reason though; he was currently searching recordings going back several years trying to find something on the elusive Project Silence - it was a very apt name for a project that was seemingly non existent. Sydney had withheld the information that Jarod had passed on to him from Broots, he didn't want to add to his load. "Let me take over for a while." He would try and make the younger man take a longer break later on.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Miss Parker had watched the two men in the house intently. Matthew had recovered from his initial shock of seeing Jarod and, armed with the knowledge that Jarod really wasn't who he had been led to believe, had ploughed headlong into a mini 'interrogation' of the pretender. She had tried to answer his many questions about Jarod as best as she could but she couldn't comment upon his family; besides the fact she believed that the Major was her mother's killer, what else could she say about them? Jarod though had answered each question honestly and had metered out almost as many of his own to Matthew in return. During all of this she found herself catering a light meal, avoiding Jarod's jaw as it hit the floor, and was content to merely observe whilst Jarod regaled Matthew with tales of his various pretends.  
  
It was strange how similar they were, even given their 'likeness' and knowing of their connection. She thought it must be the intellectual level on which they connected but had to discard this idea when Matthew had suggested they play video games. She had bought the machine for him because she was reluctant to let him out of her sight, the thought that The Centre may be just around the corner filled her with dread. If she was honest with herself it was because of Jarod too.   
  
She knew it wouldn't take him long to find out that she had left and that she had taken Matthew too. The only surprise to his arrival that afternoon had been the fact that it had taken him almost two months to catch up with her. Time in which she had grown very close to Matthew, so much so that she couldn't imagine giving him up. Even to those who actually had a valid claim to him. That Jarod could take him away from her worried her almost as much as The Centre, despite the fact the former would be much more agreeable.  
  
As Matthew and Jarod fought good naturedly about the game they were playing Miss Parker thought about how her life had changed. She knew Jarod would call her on the choices she had made, how she herself had changed. Maybe, just maybe, it was time to be honest with him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Lyle waited patiently in his father's office, the older man was at a meeting with Mtumbo. No one else had been invited prompting him to take up his current residence in anticipation of his father bringing him up to speed on his return. He had even tried out his father's chair, if things went well it could be his soon enough. He glanced at his watch, it was getting late, it couldn't be good news. Time was running out for his father, maybe it was time for a new chairman.  
  
Lyle stood up straight when he heard his fathers approaching footsteps. "Dad, how did it go?" He watched his father, who seemed to have aged ten years in the short time since Mtumbo's arrival, make his way to his chair and slump into it. "Dad?"  
  
Mr Parker unloosened his tie, "Shouldn't you be out looking for that sister of yours?"  
  
"I just came back from a false sighting this morning", Lyle explained, it had been harder than he had expected to find his sister - she knew how The Centre worked, how the sweepers operated. She had been on the other side of the hunt after all. There had not been a shred of evidence of either her or the boy.  
  
Mr Parker growled his disapproval, "We may not have much longer anyway." Unbuttoning the top fastening on his shirt he continued, "Mtumbo is ending some of The Centre's projects, relocating staff."  
  
Lyle leant forward on the desk, "Downsizing?"  
  
"For the moment, yes." He didn't add that he suspected restructuring was a distinct possibility too and that he feared he himself would be the first to go - and The Centre wasn't renowned for it's retirement packages.   
  
"Can't we make some kind of deal, we have the potential on hand after all." Lyle was beginning to have some doubts about the baby's true heritage, he needed to find out for sure.  
  
"No. Until that child is born nothing is assured." Mr Parker opened his desk drawer and took out his gun. "If anyone else were to find out before the child is born...", he placed the gun on his desk, "I don't need to spell it out, do I?"  
  
Lyle shook his head. "What are you going to do?"  
  
"I may need to take Brigette and run, just until the baby is born." Mr Parker stared into his son's eyes, "I need you to be my eyes and ears should I go."  
  
"Of course." Lyle smiled, things could end up taking a different course but maybe he could still be at the top in the end.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"So where is Miss Parker and what have you done with her?" Jarod walked into the kitchen, leaving Matthew playing with the video games.  
  
Miss Parker groaned inwardly and finished washing up the dishes. She did not answer him until her task was done, turning round to see him leaning against the counter, arms folded, playful smile on his face. "Would you prefer me to take a shot at you?"  
  
"No,", he replied shaking his head, thinking that she may just feel like doing that once he told her what he knew. "Thank you Parker, for taking Matthew. For taking care of him and for telling him about me." Jarod released his arms, "When I saw him that first time I felt... they had made a copy of me."  
  
She stared into his eyes for some time, "When I look into his eyes, I don't see you Jarod. I see a lot of similarities, but I don't see you. He hasn't got your soul. Despite how he came into this world, he's not you."  
  
Jarod returned her gaze thoughtfully, her words meant so much to him. He liked talking to her like this, as individuals not representatives from opposing sides. "I was going to get him out of there, you beat me to it." Jarod cocked his head to one side and when she didn't reply added, "You could have stayed at The Centre if I had got there first."  
  
"Maybe", she ventured. She refused to contemplate how things might have turned out had she not taken Matthew, she'd wasted too much time wishing her life had taken a different path; that her mother had lived, that she'd never heard about The Centre, that she'd left with Thomas. She appraised the man standing opposite her for the first time since his arrival; he looked happy - he finally had part of his family whilst she'd left her own behind. Thoughts that he may take Matthew invaded her mind again. "So what now?"  
  
Jarod's smiled faltered. "With Matthew?"   
  
Miss Parker nodded, what else could there be that was more important?  
  
"I told you I'm not going to take him away from you, I wouldn't take him from his mother." He raised his eyebrows at her questioningly. He couldn't resist teasing her just a little.  
  
Miss Parker stared at him but she couldn't summon the anger to go with it. Instead she found herself explaining that it was Matthew's idea to start calling her 'Mom'. They had engaged on a pretend of their own, as mother and son, and it was something that she felt comfortable with; they both did. She expected Jarod to make some kind of comment about her previous attitude towards children and motherhood but he remained silent, in fact he seemed accepting of the whole idea.   
  
He knew he had to be honest with her, he just wished he didn't have to break the moment. "I need to talk to you about The Centre."  
  
Miss Parker raised her eyebrows, "What about it?" The smile that had graced her face moments earlier began to slip.  
  
Jarod drank in her features before answering, he had a feeling it would be some time before she looked so happy. "They were running another project at Donoterase, playing God again." Jarod kept his voice low so Matthew could not hear.  
  
Miss Parker eyed Jarod warily, "Go on."  
  
"I had started some research on fertility problems before I escaped, to help couples who had difficulty conceiving naturally. The Centre continued it." Jarod paused seeking Miss Parker's eyes. "They were using our DNA to try and create the ultimate pretender."  
  
Miss Parker shook her head, it had to be a lie. "Why would... How..." She gave up trying to find the words to deny it, Jarod wouldn't lie to her. He would withhold information from her, taunt her with clues, but he wouldn't lie to her - not about something like this. She could see in his eyes it was the truth. "Did they succeed?"   
  
Jarod was momentarily stunned by her acceptance of his words, he had expected her to deny it and accuse him of lying. When he found his voice his words, though honest, were woefully inadequate, "I don't know."  
  
"You don't know?" There was no malice in her voice.  
  
"I only found the files by chance when I was at Donoterase. I do know that any 'samples' they held were destroyed when I blew up the facility."  
  
"But you think there's a possibility that we have..." She let the sentence trail off. There was a whole world of difference between thinking something and saying it out loud.  
  
"They had succeded in creating reproductive cells which they used to create embryos. I only took so many files and the information they contained was not complete. This project was kept completely off the radar from the start, but it was practically buried once I escaped."  
  
"Less chance of either of us discovering it."  
  
Jarod nodded his agreement, "Yes. There's something else too."  
  
Miss Parker looked up at him, "It was my father's project wasn't it?" It made sense, he had kept Project Gemini secret because he knew how she would react to the boy, he was right to keep this secret too because right now she wanted nothing better than to blow his brains out. How could he do that to her, his daughter?   
  
"I'm sorry Parker."   
  
"Don't call me that, Jarod." She wanted nothing more to do with her father and that included his name. She could feel the anger rising, she wanted to lash out at someone but not Jarod - he didn't deserve that. Neither did Matthew. She would reserve that for her father.  
  
"There's something else, Milly." Jarod paused waiting to be rebuked for using her name, even though she had practically asked him too. When none came he continued, "There's a chance Brigette may be involved."   
  
"Brigette?" She looked away from him, anywhere but his eyes as she considered what he meant. "She can't have children naturally..." Her voice cracked making her unable to finish the sentence.  
  
Jarod chewed his lip, he wanted nothing more than to go to her and take her in his arms but he resisted. "I won't let them get away with this... I promise."  
  
She wasn't sure what startes it; if it was his vow, the way he spoke, the realisation that her father really was the cold, calculating monster she always denied he was, or maybe it was just Jarod's use of her name - whichever it was she couldn't stop the tears from sliding down her face.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Brigette stalked into the lab finally finding Broots in the company of Sydney and Angelo. She walked up to Broots until she was inches away from him, ignoring the other occupants of the room. "My answers?", she asked sweetly.  
  
"N... N... Nothing yet." He glanced over to Sydney for support but the Belgian only shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"I hope you haven't been consulting the doctor about our problem?"   
  
Broots shook his head, managing to mutter a 'No'. He was thankful when Sydney finally intervened.  
  
"My door is always open if you would like to discuss anything, strictly confidential." Sydney had relented and told Broots of his conversation with Jarod, he figured he couldn't make the man any more nervous.  
  
Brigette glared at the psychiatrist but didn't reply. She didn't notice Angelo come up the side of her until he placed his hand on her ever growing abdomen. She recoiled instantly but Angelo only grinned at her.  
  
Sydney took Angelo by the arm to lead him away but the younger man resisted. He looked at Brigette and uttered, "Mother."  
  
"That's right", Sydney soothed as he took a firmer grip, leading Angelo away from Brigette, "She's having a baby."  
  
Brigette stormed out of the lab in disgust, "Can't you keep any of your lab rats under control, Doctor?". She rubbed her hand across her stomach once she was outside, she knew of Angelo's abilities and what he meant by his statement. Did he mean that she was the real mother? She had also noticed the look that had passed between Sydney and Broots, they knew more than they were letting on.  
  
Inside the lab Broots looked from Sydney to Angelo, "Does that mean...?"   
  
Angelo though merely kept on smiling happily, repeating the same word over and over.  
  
Sydney could only smile in response and once again shrug his shoulders. He hoped it did. 


	9. CH IX

i) Thanks to Sabrina and gemini006007.  
  
ii) 'Not that good, but I'm not that bad' (On Your Own, Blur)  
  
Chapter Nine  
  
Matthew entered the kitchen mostly out of curiousity, he had heard them talking but he didn't know what they were discussing. And then it had gone quiet. He found the occupants stood at opposite sides of the small kitchen and she was obviously upset about something. His instinct was to protect the woman he had come to think of as his mother and he took up a position at her side, "What's wrong?"  
  
Miss Parker brushed at the tears that had fallen, "It's okay Matthew."  
  
Matthew turned to Jarod, "What have you done to her?", he accused. He felt his Mom place her hand on his shoulder, holding him back.  
  
"It's not Jarod's fault." She gently turned Matthew around to face her and looking into his eyes repeated her previous statement, adding "I received some news about my father, something he's done."   
  
Jarod watched from the other side of the room, the whole situation was almost surreal. In some respects he wished it was. Matthew had displayed the same loyalty towards Miss Parker as she had towards him and despite the strange situation he found himself in he wanted to smile.  
  
Matthew looked into her eyes, he was still unsure of the circumstances. He liked Jarod, he really did, but there was only one person he cared about - and she would come first. "Is he angry at you for taking me?"  
  
Miss Parker smiled a little, the tears ceasing to flow. "You could say that, yes. But that's his problem, not ours." Mr Parker was probably severely pissed off, but he didn't have any right to be. Right now he could rot in Hell for all she cared. She glanced at Jarod and caught his eye for a moment before returning her attention to Matthew, "Why don't you and Jarod help yourselves to some ice cream?" She glanced back at Jarod and he caught her intention.  
  
"Sounds good to me. What do you say Matthew, you can let me try and beat you on that game again?" He spoke to the boy but Matthew's focus was still upon Miss Parker. He had caught the look in her eye, he wasn't sure how it had happened. It was like that time in Dover Town bank, communication without words.  
  
"Are you sure you're going to be okay?", Matthew asked hesitantly.  
  
Miss Parker broke out one of her genuine smiles, the one she had been using more and more since she'd left The Centre. "Yeah, I just need a little time out, okay?" Matthew's concern touched her heart and eased the pain she was feeling.  
  
The boy nodded and reluctantly released her from his scrutiny, only half convinced she was as well as she made out she was.   
  
Jarod caught her eye as she passed by and felt her pain, it was something he'd felt when he had discovered the files. Except he hadn't been betrayed by someone who'd passed themself off as a parent. For her the pain was much greater. He and the boy watched in silence as she made her way out to the back yard and stood in the middle of the lawn.  
  
"Is she going to be okay?" He searched Jarod's face for some kind of reassurance.  
  
Jarod smiled down at Matthew, "I think so. She just has some things she needs to think about." He hoped that she had held onto some of the ice queen attributes that had gotten her through before.  
  
Matthew watched the figure on the grass and hoped he was right.   
  
"You're very close to each other." He had managed to quell the stab of jealousy he had felt at their relationship. Matthew had accomplished something in a short time that he himself had been attempting for nearly three years.   
  
Matthew turned his attention to Jarod, "Yes."  
  
The boys reply was genuine, honest and Jarod felt guilty at the green eyed monster that had reared it's head. "It's her smile isn't it?" The boy cocked his head in a manner that Jarod found eerily familiar, then nodded. He couldn't help but grin at the boy, "Me too."  
  
Matthew stared at the pretender and once again experienced that odd feeling, the one that he now knew was, at least in part, a result of their 'connection'.  
  
"I was a bit younger than you are now when I first met her", Jarod elaborated, "The Centre wanted to test my reactions." He stared back out of the window, "She was the first girl I remember meeting and, after years of isolation, she was like an angel to me." He continued to gaze at Miss Parker, "When she smiled at me that first time I knew I would do whatever I could to keep her smiling." He dragged his attention away from her, back to the boy, "But I never could." He frowned a little, "You make her smile, Matthew. Don't ever stop."  
  
Matthew continued his scrutiny of the older man, "She smiles when she talks about you", he admitted.  
  
Jarod raised his eyebrows, surely not?  
  
Matthew continued. "When she smiles I feel safe, I feel like a real person." He turned his attention towards her, "I know she's not genetically my mother but she's just like I imagined my parents would be." He shrugged his shoulders and looked back at Jarod, "Is that okay?" Jarod's family, in essence his family too, were at the back of his mind and he didn't want to hurt them. But the most important person to him at this moment was stood outside, he wanted Jarod to understand that.  
  
Jarod nodded his head, half thinking of Sydney. He understood what Matthew was implying and it caused him to think of his own situation. He had embraced his father openly after thirty years abscence yet Sydney had been a constant in his life for that same period and he continued to push him away. He knew that Sydney's hand had been forced,that it was Sydney who looked out for him still, even now that he was no longer under the doctor's 'care'. If he could blame Sydney for not doing all he could, why did his father escape the same treatment? Could the major have tried harder to rescue him?  
  
"You'll always be a part of my family, Matthew. I hope I can be a part of yours too."  
  
Matthew nodded his head, "I'd like that, Jarod." He was glad he hadn't upset the older man, he really would like the opportunity to know him better.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sydney rested his eyes momentarily and tried not to look at his phone. He had Jarod's number after all, should he try to contact him? There were two factors to consider though; firstly this was a Centre phone and therefore highly likely to be bugged, secondly what could he tell the missing pretender at this point? When Angelo had uttered his statement he had refused to let his hopes rise, was the Centre's resident inmate aware of surrogacy? He longed to believe so, Angelo had difficulties communicating but Sydney knew he understood more than most believed.  
  
Angelo had scampered off into the dark recesses of The Centre not long after Brigette had stormed out. He had managed to persuade Broots to go home too but he couldn't force himself to leave just yet. He knew he would be in for another restless night. A slight noise from the overhead vent drew his attention.  
  
Angelo gracefully fell into Sydney's office, a skill that proved it was something he had done before. In one hand he held a video camera and he proferred it to Sydney, "Bad".  
  
Sydney took the camera wondering how Angelo managed to get hold of such things. He placed it on his desk and pulled out the view screen. He remembered Angelo frustration the last time he had attempted to extricate what the younger man was trying to say. He hoped that this would shed some light. He pressed the button to start the camera.  
  
#####  
  
Mtumbo's office  
  
Two days previously  
  
Mtumbo glared at the screen. He'd had it set up especially for this meeting with the other two members of the Triumverate, live via satellite etc. He waited for the picture to clear again, the time delay a slight annoyance, couldn't he get some people to look into such matters? "Well?" There really was no substitution for an old fashioned tete a tete, where fists could be flung or bullets fired. What would he achieve this way other than to break a very expensive piece of equipment, and have Centre employees poking their noses in.  
  
The two figures, each apparently in a seperate location appeared to consider the question a moment longer. The man on the left of the screen spoke first, "I agree. The pretender project, though profitable, is now in jeapordy. We can no longer condone this futile pursuit, and with limited genetic samples to work with, I cannot forsee any further uses for this facility."  
  
The second man, somewhat older, scratched the whiskers on his chin absently. "Then we are all in agreement, The Centre is no longer a viable option. We need to filter out the best and relocate."  
  
Mtumbo smiled his agreement, "And the rest of the employees gentlemen? We can't just cut them loose."  
  
The first man spoke up again, "Those that know very little can be released, even give them a glowing reference. The rest, if they are of no use to ourselves, we can dispose of."  
  
The second man's eyes lit up a little at this. "Yes, yes. An explosion of some sort perhaps? I believe that almost occurred last year, a rebellious employee maybe?" He scratched his chin again. "Can we leave this in your hands?"  
  
Mtumbo nodded sagely and the two faces on the screen faded away.  
  
#####  
  
Sydney stared at the blank screen a little longer, at his side Angelo muttered, "Bad", agitatedly. Sydney agreed.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Miss Parker walked slowly back into the house, she had been outside for almost an hour. The nights were still light and warm, she could have stayed there longer but it wouldn't change how she felt. Thoughts of revenge had crossed her mind several times, she needed to know what Jarod was going to do. She found both him and Matthew in the living room, empty bowls on the table.   
  
Matthew stood as she entered. "Are you feeling better?"  
  
"A little yes, thank you." She eyed the bowls and Matthew followed her gaze. She smiled as he took the hint and, scooping up the bowls, left to wash the dishes.  
  
"Do you want me to leave?" Jarod asked quietly.  
  
Miss Parker shook her head, "We have too much to discuss." She sat down on the sofa next to Jarod. "Where are you staying?"  
  
Jarod sighed, "With my father, in the next town." He watched her eyes cloud over and braced himself for an outburst. Once again he was surprised when she remained calm. "He didn't kill your mother", Jarod ventured when she remained silent. Though he was reluctant to tbring up the subject at this point he knew it would have to be discussed eventually.  
  
"I suppose he told you that, Jarod?" Her voice remained soft, conscious of the boy in the next room.  
  
"Yes, I believe him."  
  
"Of course you would Jarod, he's your father." She stared at him for a while before adding, "In my experience fathers lie to their children. Haven't you spent the past three years trying to get me to believe that?"  
  
Jarod adjusted his position on the sofa so he was facing her, she had a valid point and he didn't want to push her into an argument, depsite her apparently calm demeanour he knew she was hurting. She needed a friend right now, not an enemy. "I only wanted you to know the truth, I'm sorry that it has all turned out like this."  
  
Miss Parker stared blankly ahead, trying to put her thoughts in order. Was Jarod too naive to know that he was being lied to by the major, or was it, and this was more likely given The Centre was involved, that Charles was a patsy of some sort? There was one way to find out; she needed to speak to the major.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Lyle waited patiently outside Mtumbo's office. It was early, a new day a new start perhaps. There were very few members of staff present at that time, but when he thought about it there were very few members of staff full stop. He figured the time was right to make some kind of play for The Centre, before it was too late. He entered when the African ordered him to.  
  
"What can I do for you, Mr Lyle?" Mtumbo had a fair idea, the man in front of him wasn't the only one to come and beg for the top seat. He quite enjoyed to see them squirm a little.  
  
Lyle stood in front of the desk that had once belonged to his sister. "I'm offering my services to you, and to the Triumverate once again. Whatever you desire." He wanted to try and bargain with the Mtumbo over Brigette's baby but he'd overheard a very revealing conversation in one of the labs yesterday and now he really did believe that he was going to be a father. That would have to be dealt with later.  
  
Mtumbo grinned inside but kept a cool exterior, this could be the answer to some of his problems. The Triumverate's problems. It was his responsibility to handle The Centre's demise and in fact it was up to him to hand pick those who could continue on their work for the Triumverate. "Anything?"  
  
Lyle nodded, "I would of course need some assurance as to my future."  
  
"You need to prove your loyalty to me first." Mtumbo had something in mind that was just up his street. "An execution order, to be carried out immediately."  
  
Lyle grinned, "Who?"  
  
Mtumbo pushed a file towards Lyle, "There is more than one. And discretely, if you can. If you please me I will consider you for the head position." He watched Lyle take the folder and quickly glance at the details. He was pleased the younger man showed no obvious qualms about carrying out such a task, but he would not be offering him any such position. This was a means to an end.  
  
He was not a hard man, he had studied the personnel files of every employee; those whom were valuable would be retained, those who knew very little of The Centre were free to go, there were some who could be persuaded, or threatened, to remain quiet would be free to leave also. There was no point indrawing attention to a huge drop in the local population. Indeed, there were only a very few select who needed to be dealt with in other ways, and he wasn't going to be the one to get blood on his hands. He was a business man after all. 


	10. CH X

i) Thanks again to Sabrina and gemini006007 for leaving a review.  
  
ii) 'Did I ever even cross your mind? Cause it's not a game of who is under the thumb' (A Studt, Under The Thumb)  
  
Chapter Ten  
  
Broots rubbed his upper arms in an effort to bring some warmth to them in the chill of the morning, though he had to admit the temperature outside of The Centre was somewhat more hospitable than inside at present. The ever growing paranoia of most of the people employed there had reached a pinnacle; the ever dwindling numbers were most recently shocked by Mr Raines' departure. Broots had just been down right pleased, though a niggle of doubt had wormed inside his head. "Is it time yet, Syd?"  
  
Sydney drew his thoughts back to the present and considered the younger man's question. "Yes", he nodded his head as he said this, if there ever was a time to leave it had to be now. The rumours cursing their way through the veins of The Centre were, frankly, ranging from the ludicrous to the unnervingly truthful. And before long there would be no staff left to circulate such nonsense. Sydney himself had been shocked by Raines' 'accident', one that ended the career of his pet sweeper too.   
  
Broots asbently kicked at a small stone in his path as they walked in the surrounding gardens of The Centre, somthing they had taken to doing with a recurring frequency. "What's going on Sydney?"  
  
"The Triumverate are shutting The Centre down", Sydney caught Broots surprised expression, "Cutting their losses, so to speak." The two men continued their journey with a slower pace. "This means cutting the staff too, the ever quieter corridors are somewhat unnerving don't you think?"  
  
Broots shivered involuntarily, he had figured as much. "But where are they all going?"   
  
"Most are not aware of The Centre's more 'darker' work, I would imagine they will be released without any complications."  
  
"And the rest Sydney?", Broots asked worriedly.  
  
Sydney cast a quick glance at the opposing building that had housed his career before replying. "There are those that will still be of some use to The Triumverate, they would be kept on, transferred to other facilities." Sydney did not want to be in that particular group. No, this was to be his chance to finally break free.  
  
Broots digested this piece of information uneasily, he hoped he was in the first group. He trusted Sydney's judgement though, if he said it was time to go... "Why do I get the feeling there is another option, Syd?"  
  
"There will of course be some people who know too much, but are of no further use to the powers that be..." Sydney didn't complete the sentence, he didn't need to. Broots had worked at The Centre long enough to know what would happen to those people.  
  
"We're in that group, aren't we?"  
  
Sydney nodded, "I fear so. Our involvement in Jarod's pursuit has drawn us both into the murkier waters surrounding The Centre." His mind once again wandered to the past, his time at The Centre and how naive he had really been all those years. At times he had seen something of himself in Broots; the innocence that turned to ignorance through fear. It was time to leave, if Raines' death proved anything it was that. The old wheezebag had died in an explosion, early reports pointed to a mixture of the oxygen tank and Raines' penchant for a cigarette as the cause, but this was The Centre after all - nothing could be taken as read.  
  
"I made up some papers for us."  
  
This time it was Sydney's turn to look surprised.  
  
Broots smiled shyly, "You said we should be ready to leave."  
  
"Yes. Yes I did", Sydney smiled as he responded. "Can you arrange some for Angelo too? I don't want to leave him behind."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jarod lounged on the bench and tried to look natural, fighting the urge to return to Miss Parker's house. After days of preparation with both sides, and with an agreement from Miss Parker that she would not use her gun, Jarod had arranged a meeting between his father and ex huntress. As much as he wanted to witness the 'occassion' Miss Parker had signalled her disapproval; she did not want Matthew present, or Jarod for that matter. An agreement was made whereby Jarod would take Matthew to the local park for the morning.  
  
They had so far enjoyed an hour or so messing about with a baseball and bat; Matthew had expressed an interest in the game and Jarod had thought it would give them further opportunity to bond. Matthew had proven quite talented and Jarod had managed to forget other matters that were currently at hand elsewhere.  
  
"What's really going on Jarod?", Matthew asked. He waasn't fooled by the older man's request for a rest; there was definitely something on his mind, something that involved Miss Parker too.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Mom's worried about something, I can tell."  
  
Jarod smiled weakly, he and Miss Parker had disagreed about what to tell the boy. Jarod had bowed to her wishes to keep things under the carpet at the moment, but he didn't want to leave Matthew thinking the worst either. "My father is calling round to see her today, he knew Miss Parker's mother. Did she tell you about her?"  
  
Matthew nodded, remembering the photo he had seen at Ben's and the explanation he'd received at the likeness.  
  
"She didn't want you to see her upset, or even angry, when they talked about her." Jarod frowned slightly at his jumbled explanation. "She was told some things about her mother that were not exactly true, do you understand?"  
  
Matthew slowly nodded his head and processed the news.  
  
"My father would like to meet you, too. If that's okay with you and your Mom?"  
  
Matthew picked up the baseball and played absently with it, "If it's okay with Mom." After a few moments silence he added, "He won't want to be my father as well, will he?"  
  
Jarod sighed, "It's a difficult situation for all of us, Matthew. He just wants to meet you, that you're safe and happy are the most important things to him."  
  
Matthew smiled, "Okay. It's just that I kinda already had somebody in mind for that role..."  
  
Though he didn't finish the sentence Jarod caught his meaning and couldn't help but return the grin. He didn't know what Miss Parker would think of Matthew's choice.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sneaking into the room was the easy part, the harder task being how to handle two people with one gun. Fortunately he was a smart man, by his own admission anyway, he had kept his options open. He surveyed the two bound, and thankfully gagged - he only liked to hear his younger victims scream -, figures in front of him with a modicom of satisfaction. He was going to enjoy this more, take his time.  
  
Killing Raines had not been the pleasurable experience he had expected. The moment he had seen that name at the top of Mtumbo's list he had gladly accepted the assignment, he would have accepted anyway out of survival but this way he would actually be keeping his word. He took only a small smatter of enjoyment at the beating he metered out to Raines and it surprised him to a certain degree; had he grown accustomed to the violence?   
  
Willie had had to go too, if only because the sweeper had the misfortune to be at Raines' house when he called by. He had borne Mtumbo's wishes in mind and rigged an explosion to look like the whole thing had been an accident. On this occassion though he would give that no thought.  
  
He played with his gun in full view of his captives and strolled casually in front of them. Defiant eyes watched his every movement, his father's with a trace of disgust, Brigette's with a hint of pleading. He had woken Brigette first, talked her into helping him tie up Mr Parker. Whether she agreed out of fear or greed he didn't know, or care for that matter. He had then simply turned the tables on her and tied her up too. She wasn't on Mtumbo's list, the African must have a soft spot for her, but he wanted to make sure of something.  
  
He uncerimoniously ripped off the tape gagging both of the captives. "I'm sure you both have a lot of questions, Dad why don't you go first."  
  
Mr Parker scowled at his son, "What the Hell are you doing?"  
  
Lyle smirked, "What do you think? I'm eliminating the competition Dad. I want The Centre, you could live for years."  
  
"What about our 'agreement'? I trusted you!"  
  
Lyle straightened his face, "C'mon Dad. First rule of The Centre is don't trust anyone. Isn't that right Brigette?"  
  
Brigette decided better than to try and appeal to his better side and merely nodded her head. She had tried to think of a way out of the situation but couldn't see one.  
  
Lyle glared at Brigette for a moment. "Whose child is it Brigette?"  
  
"Ours", Brigette replied indicating herself and Mr Parker with a nod of her head.  
  
"Ah." Lyle looked at Mr Parker, "Is that right Dad? Are you going to be a father again?"  
  
Mr Parker squirmed in his seat uncomfortably. On the outside he hoped he appeared calm because inside he was cursing, why did he ever think he could trust either of his children?   
  
When Mr Parker failed to answer Lyle continued. "Didn't you think it was odd that he married a woman unable to bear children naturally?" He turned his attention back to Brigette, "That he pushed you into fertility treatment immediately?"  
  
Brigette remained mute but cast a stony glance at Mr Parker; one he refused to return.   
  
Lyle sighed. "Do you know what he did to his own daughter?"  
  
"Lyle!" Mr Parker boomed warningly.  
  
Lyle continued, "He manipulated her DNA. Hers and our prize project's. He just needed someone to carry the child, someone he could watch constantly. And in some way that he would be able to lay claim to the child. I think you excelled yourself Dad." Lyle grinned and then tacked on, "Apart from one little thing."  
  
Mr Parker nodded, "I trusted you."  
  
Lyle grinned even wider, "Okay, two little things."  
  
"What other thing?", Mr Parker asked, puzzled.  
  
Lyle glanced over at Brigette then returned his attention to the older man. "Did you check Brigette's medical file?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"I did too, it's all very authentic. Isn't it Brigette? What is your real name by the way?"  
  
Brigette smiled, she'd had enough. The pieces of the puzzle that formed Project Silence were beginning to fall into place - she just never imagined she was at the heart of it. "So I faked some papers." She glanced at her husband again to find that she had his full attention this time, deservedly so. "The real Brigette can't have children, I stole her papers when I stole her identity. I never thought they'd come in so handy." She threw a grin at Mr Parker, his anger evident.  
  
Lyle grinned widely at his father's distress and ever reddening expression. He walked over to Brigette and stroked her cheek, "I was under the same impression as you Dad, that's why we never used any protection did we?" He dropped his hand from her face, "Is it mine Brigette?"  
  
Brigette smiled as both men watched her intently. She briefly wondered which answer would be her get out of jail free card, but she doubted either option would be advantageous over the other. She shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know."  
  
Lyle sighed and mentally reconsidered the situation as he walked away from his parental unit; the sooner this dysfunctional family disbanded, the better.  
  
"If you've impeded my project in anyway - "  
  
"I don't give a damn what you think", Brigette interupted. She was painfully aware of how they had each betrayed the other; and now they were both feeling the effects of that betrayel. "I think there are more important matters at hand, don't you?"  
  
"There is nothing more important at the moment than whose baby that is!" Mr Parker snarled back.  
  
Lyle had been content to observe, gaining some twisted satisfaction from the whole scene, but he wanted to move things along. "Oh I don't know about that Dad."   
  
Both of his prisoners returned their attentions to him.  
  
"Either way, you're dead old man."  
  
"What has Mtumbo promised you? The Centre? Have you seen what's happening there? There will be no Centre by the time he's through", Mr Parker implored.  
  
Lyle grinned, "Maybe." He pointed his gun at Brigette as he spoke softly, "It's mine isn't it? That night at the restaurant - you were testing me weren't you?" He lowered the gun and approached her. "And I failed didn't I? It was a shock. that's all. After what Dad had told me about the project I knew he would be mad at me, at us; I didn't want it to be true." When he was close enough he caressed her cheek. "But it needn't be a problem, we can get rid of him", Lyle gestured towards Mr Parker with his eyes. "It'll just be you, me and the baby; a new generation at The centre."  
  
Mr Parker shot a snort of disbelief.  
  
Brigette stared into his eyes - he was a killer, she shouldn't trust him. Then again she was no angel herself. She could let herself believe him, that would be the easy option, but he was bluffing; wasn't he? The only thing she could be sure of was that she was in no position to bargain - Lyle held all the cards and she suspected he didn't care either way. If these were to be her last hours on Earth maybe it was time to be truthful, there's always time for one last shot at redemption. "I was pregnant before the first cells were implanted." And the truth would be another blow to her husband.  
  
Lyle grinned widely whilst Mr Parker began to shout his disgust. 


	11. CH XI

i) Thanks to gemini006007, Sabrina, Nancy, and Kimmi G for leaving such kind reviews.  
  
ii) 'I'm in collision with every stone I ever threw, and blind ambition where the flame turns blue' ('Flame Turns Blue', D Gray)  
  
Chapter Eleven  
  
Sydney carefully transported the objects he wanted from The Centre into his briefcase. He didn't take his diplomas, his books, or any of the research he had most recently been working on; the only items he took were those that truly meant something, the keepsakes from Jarod. He cast one final long look around his office but there was nothing there to make him reconsider his decision. The two people he regarded as his children had fled, Broots was currently on his way to an agreed rendezvous point - his young daughter in tow. All Sydney had to worry about now was Angelo.  
  
Angelo was the last charge that Sydney felt responsible for, all he needed to do now was find him. It had crossed his mind that Angelo may refuse to leave, The Centre had been his home all his life. However the consequences of Angelo staying, of either of them remaining, were too great to even consider. What would the Triumverate do with the man-child? What would they demand of himself?  
  
He closed the door to his office for the final time, briefcase in hand, and made his way to the lab and,hopefully, Angelo. The biggest obstacle that faced Sydney wouldn't be persuading Angelo to leave, it would be locating him in the first place. Angelo was rarely where he was supposed to be, his jaunts into the ventilation system meant he could quite literally pop up anywhere.  
  
Sydney's excursion to the lab was strangely quiet, employees were becoming a rare commodity at The Centre of late. The dwindling numbers of staff meant the whole building took on an even eerier feeling than usual, and yet Mtumbo carried on as normal revealing nothing about the future of The Centre.   
  
"Angelo!" Sydney was surprised to find his quarry was already at the lab. He wondered how he had a knack of turning up at the right place, Angelo certainly knew more than he could ever communicate. "It's time to leave now, we need to go", he whispered at the hunched figure perched on a table.  
  
Angelo looked up, "Leave." He nodded his head, "Time."  
  
"Yes", Sydney breathed.   
  
"Things bad. Bad things happening."  
  
"That's right", Sydney agreed. There was some kind of understanding between them lately, he hoped it would be enough to convince the younger man to go. "Will you leave with me Angelo?"  
  
Angelo smiled, the large grin covered half of his face. "Leave. Like friend, like daughter?"  
  
"Yes." When Angelo nodded his head vigourously Sydney took this as confirmation. "I need you to meet me here", Sydney began as he pulled out a plan of The Centre and its surrounding area that he had Broots dig up for him. He pointed to a small dirt track a mile out from The Centre, "I'll be here waiting for you. Can you get there?" He couldn't brazenly walk out with one of The Centre's projects, even in the current climate somebody would surely notice. Besides, he had no doubt that Angelo was more than capable of escaping The Centre, he just never had a valid reason to before. Now, like Sydney himself, there was all the motivation he would ever need.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Has our problem been... solved?"  
  
Lyle stood straight in front of Mtumbo's desk, "It's been taken care of."  
  
Mtumbo allowed a small smile to play at his mouth. "I am most pleased with your loyalty, as will the Triumverate be when I inform them." He had no intention of doing that.  
  
"You have always had my loyalty."  
  
Mtumbo straightened his expression, Lyle was loyal to only one person; himself. In a different situation that might have been enough.   
  
Lyle edged closer to the desk, "Can I ask what your plans are?"  
  
Mtumbo raised one eyebrow, giving away nothing except his expectation of elaboration from Lyle.  
  
Lyle smiled and played along. He knew the African was avoiding the bigger issues, "Are the Triumverate still interested in Jarod and his clone? Or my sister for that matter?"  
  
Mtumbo's gaze bore deep into Lyle's eyes, "I'm sure you are aware of the changes at hand."  
  
Lyle shifted his footing, bracing himself, "Yes. Do you want me to continue to look for all of them?"  
  
"Brigette is in charge of returning Jarod and his father." Mtumbo eyed Lyle suspiciously.   
  
Lyle plastered on his best naughty boy look, "Unfortunately whilst dealing with our problem Brigette became a hindrance." He felt Mtumbo's eyes cut into him but continued on, "She wouldn't co-operate."  
  
Mtumbo stared at the man in front of him and briefly cursed his choice of assassin. He should have chosen Brigette after all, pregnant or not. "She is dead?" He watched the younger man nod his head reluctantly and mutter an excuse. "Quiet!", Mtumbo cut him off. At the last meeting he'd had with Mr Parker the chairman had pleaded for his position, arguing that he had another project that would be more profitable than any other. He had revealed all the details to Mtumbo in an effort to secure his own place. "Do you know whose child she was carrying?", he demanded.  
  
Lyle looked up at the question, he was unaware that anyone else had any knowledge of Brigette's involvement in Project Silence. The best thing he could do was bluff his way out of it. "She was carrying my brother or sister... wasn't she?"   
  
"Indeed. Do you feel no remorse?" Mtumbo wasn't quite sure if Lyle was being deceitful or not, most likely he was, he just couldn't understand why he would destroy such a project if he was actually aware of the potential outcomes. He watched the younger man shrug his shoulders uncommittedly and was reminded of his small grandson back home, a five year old who believed he could charm his way out of any situation. "Where are the bodies?"  
  
"They're at the house. I made it look like a robbery that had gone wrong", Lyle replied with a hint of pride.  
  
"Very well, you are to continue Brigette's search too. We are relying upon you." He dismissed Lyle with a wave of his hand. He would send his people to the house straight away, maybe they could still salvage something from the project or it may prove Mr Parker was bluffing. He pressed a button on the intercom, signalling for one of his guards to enter. Giving the guard instructions to terminate Lyle's employment he then dismissed him too.  
  
He sank back into his chair and pondered the recent events. When Mr Parker had revealed details of Project Silence, Mtumbo had been pleased; the Triumverate would get their pretender after all and still be rid of The Centre. He had made plans to transport Brigette back to Africa. Now, again, they would have nothing, with the exception of The Centre's demise - and that was something he had been quite content with previously. Since Jarod's escape The Centre had fallen out of grace, the only thing stopping the Triumverate from taking action earlier had been the promise of Project Gemini. And now that was lost too. Unlike Mr Parker, Mtumbo was not arrogant enough to believe that Jarod would be returned, the pretender's capabilities were well documented and he had adjusted to the outside world rapidly. No, he was quite happy to draw a line under the whole business and expend efforts elsewhere.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sydney drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and checked his watch yet again. Angelo had agreed to meet him but he was half an hour late. Thoughts of a disaster pressed into his mind and he tried to keep faith, Angelo had survived thirty years at The Centre; what was another hour or so? He let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding when he spotted a familiar figure slowly plotting his way towards the car.  
  
Sydney got out of his car and gestured to the younger man to hurry. He opened the passenger door and, once Angelo had deposited himself inside the car, he closed it and quickly retook his own seat. With a smile he turned to Angelo and started the car. Pulling away he finally turned his attention to the box that Angelo had been clinging onto, "What's in there Angelo?"  
  
Angelo grinned and, opening the box, he pulled out the camcorder Sydney had viewed previously. "Bad men, talking."  
  
Sydney could see that the bottom layer of the box was lined with DSA's. "Where did you get those, Angelo?"  
  
Angelo fingered the discs, a different emotion passing his face with each disc, "Secrets", he whispered.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jarod slunk into the kitchen. He rested against the counter and observed Miss Parker silently.  
  
"He beat you again, huh?" Miss Parker asked as she turned around to face him, leaning against the sink.  
  
Jarod nodded, "You let him play too much", he whined.  
  
Miss Parker smirked then admitted, "He beats me every time, too. Thanks for stepping in."  
  
Jarod smiled in return and decided to broach the subject of his father. "I found my father in one piece when I got back to the motel, thanks for giving him a chance to explain." When he and Matthew had returned from the park the previous day he had been slightly worried when they had found Miss Parker alone.  
  
Miss Parker shrugged her shoulders, "You thought I'd killed him and hidden the body didn't you?" Jarod had made her promise to keep her cool when she met his father and she had enjoyed making him squirm about what she would do before finally agreeing. It was only when talking to the Major she realised that Jarod had reached a similar compromise with his father too. The Major had been just as suspicious of her as she was of him.  
  
Jarod smiled wryly, "A couple of months ago I'd have been more concerned." He waited for her to respond to his comment but she remained silent. "You don't believe him do you?"  
  
"I don't know what to believe, or who for that matter Jarod." She sighed and crossed her arms in front of her. When she had taken Matthew she had resolved to leave all the questions unanswered, she wanted The Centre to remain in her past but it kept intruding in her life whichever path she took. When the opportunity presented itself to meet the man she had been told killed her mother, she felt she couldn't pass it up.  
  
"That has to be your decision, who to trust." Jarod was glad he had waited til now to broach the subject, she'd had time to sleep on it - if that was possible. His father had remained tight lipped about the meeting, only saying they'd each heard the other out. When he pushed the Major on the subject he would only add further that he may have been wrong about Catherine's daughter. Jarod took this as a good sign.  
  
She eyed him cautiously, "I trusted my father and he betrayed me. What your father said was plausible, that he knew my mother... " She shrugged her shoulders again. There had been so many lies surrounding her mother's death, for years she'd believed it was suicide. Discovering that it was in fact murder only added more questions that she would lose sleep over. The possibilty that it was Jarod's father who was responsible had only served to drive a bigger wedge between herself and Jarod; looking back she was surprised to realise how appropriate it was that she should find that out just as she was beginning to rely upon the pretender.  
  
Jarod waited patiently for her to continue.  
  
According to the Major her mother had planned to take herself, and the remaining children, away from The Centre. And that sounded much more like her mother than any lies The Centre ever spun. "He said I look just like her." She glanced down at her feet, "That in taking Matthew it must be more than just a resemblance." She looked back into Jarod's eyes, "Do you think she would be proud of me?"  
  
"Yes", Jarod didn't hesitate in answering.  
  
She smiled at his response and continued to gaze at him. There was one person she trusted in all this mess, despite the fact he annoyed the life out of her most of the time.  
  
"What?", he asked cocking his head to one side.  
  
"You would say that." She unfurled her arms, "You're biased."  
  
He grinned at her lighter mood, "Maybe." Most definitely he was and it was becoming increasingly more obvious to him everytime he spoke with her. He was considering elaborating on that theory when his phone broke through the atmosphere. He answered it automatically thinking it was his father, the older man had expressed his interest in returning. Instead he heard a more familiar voice.  
  
"Jarod?"  
  
"Sydney", he identified the caller and caught Miss Parker's attention.  
  
"Have you been following recent events at The Centre?" Sydney asked cautiously.  
  
"No, I've been following other leads. What's going on Sydney?" Jarod asked.  
  
"Have you managed to find Miss Parker and the boy?", Sydney asked hopefully.  
  
Jarod nodded his head as he answered, "Yes. She's here with me now." He chided himself at the sound of concern in his mentors voice, he had promised to let Sydney know when he found Miss Parker.  
  
Sydney smiled at his companions and covering the phone with his free hand whispered to Broots that Miss Parker was safe.  
  
"Where are you Sydney?" Jarod asked as Miss Parker approached him, intrigued. He held up one hand to stop her asking the questions that he knew must be on the tip of her tongue.  
  
"I'm at a diner, Jarod. With Broots, his daughter and Angelo." Sydney launched into an abridged version of the recent changes that had forced them all to part company with The Centre. And of Raines' 'accident'.  
  
"He's really dead?", Jarod asked, making Miss Parker even more curious. She scooted up closer to him and placed her ear as close to the phone as she could in an attempt to listen in.  
  
"Yes. There was an incident with his oxygen tank. There's something else too."  
  
"What?", it was Miss Parker who asked the question, an image already crossing her mind of exactly what.  
  
"I'm sorry Miss Parker but your father is also dead."  
  
Miss Parker turned away and Jarod instinctively reached out to her, grabbing hold of one hand. The action stopped her from walking away but she remained with her back facing him, head down.  
  
"Jarod?" Sydney asked at the long pause.  
  
"I'm still here Sydney."  
  
Sydney swallowed thickly and continued on with his narrative. Angelo had urged him to watch the recording on the camcorder; his lateness at the meeting point had been because he was taping a meeting between Mtumbo and Lyle. Broots had ushered Debbie out of the booth once he knew Miss Parker was safe, effectively shielding his daughter from the truth about his ex employers. Sydney wished he could shield Miss Parker in some way too, she had lost the only remaining family she cared about; her despised twin's eminent demise would not bother her so much.  
  
Jarod gripped the phone tighter at the news of Brigette's death and Lyle's impending one, "Can you call back later, Sydney?" When the older man consented he disconnected the call and, giving in to the impulses he had resisted previously, swept Miss Parker into his arms. He brushed away the single tear that had fallen and she didn't resist.  
  
"After everything he did, why am I crying for him?", Miss Parker mumbled into Jarod's chest.  
  
Jarod spoke softly into her ear, "Because he was your father and you loved him." He felt her nod against him and tried to process the information Sydney had passed on, but all he could think about was the woman in his arms.  
  
She pulled away slightly from him, not enough to break all contact, but enough to look at his face. "What happened to him?" She wasn't sure why she needed to know. Just hours ago earlier she had been contemplating how to make him suffer for what he'd done to her.  
  
"The Triumverate are closing The Centre down", he explained all that Sydney had told him. Relaying the news allowed it to sink in some more; he hoped Miss Parker was strong enough to come through it all.  
  
Miss Parker stared blankly at Jarod's chest, slowly digesting the news. "If they sanctioned Brigette's death too, then doesn't that mean she wasn't carrying our child?", she choked out as a fresh set of tears begun to roll down her cheeks.  
  
"I hope so." He held her again as she sank back into his body. If it was right it meant she had then lost a sibling; either way The Centre had managed to hurt her yet again. The only light at the end of the tunnel was The Centre's imminent collapse. 


	12. CH XII

i) Thank you to everyone who has ever left a review for this little tale. Big thanks to gemini006007 and Sabrina for their constant support,   
  
ii) 'She's been in disguise forever, she's tried to disguise her stellar views. Much brighter than all this static, now she's coming through.' (James, 'She's A Star')  
  
Chapter Twelve  
  
Miss Parker sighed heavily and, wrapping her gown tighter lay back down on the bed. She sensed him approach then felt the bed sink as the familiar figure scooted up behind her, tenderly smoothing away her hair. "I hate you", she said, though there was no malice in her voice.   
  
Jarod chuckled soflty, "I love you, too." He laid down behind her, wrapping one arm around her waist, his hand coming to rest on top of hers.   
  
"Did you take Matthew in?", she asked. Matthew had begun to lobby his argument for starting school not long into the new year. She had hesitated to agree, his intelligence could be easily identifiable. In the end it had been her original promise she made to him back at The Centre, to let him experience life, that had made her consent. One of the conditions of the agreement was that someone had to take him in and then pick him up after school had finished.  
  
"Yeah, dropped him off round the corner as usual." Jarod smiled as he said this. He had skillfully managed to remain neutral throughout the whole week that the school debate lasted, instead he concentrated on helping both of them see the other's point of view. After Matthew's first couple of days at school however it became apparent that fifteen year olds taken to school by their parents were not cool.   
  
She turned around so she could face him, "I know I should relax more, it's just... you never know do you?" She looked deep into Jarod's eyes and saw the understanding there. Ever since that night in the kitchen, the night her whole world turned upside down, she should have been able to at least notch down the paranoia just a little. Sydney's news about The Centre's demise had been substantiated less than two weeks later.   
  
All that currently remained of the once imposing building was a crumbling outer shell - a fire had ripped through all the sublevels, by the time it reached ground level and firefighters had arrived there was little to save. The structure had consequently been deemed unsafe and fenced off, the Triumverate remained owners but were seemingly unwilling to put the final nail in the coffin and tear the ruins down. And it was this act that caused her to keep up her guard.  
  
Jarod rubbed her back soothingly and nodded his head. "How are you holding up?" He didn't have to be more specific than that with his question, she knew what he was asking. Though they hadn't actually discussed the subject he knew what was at the back of both of their minds.  
  
Miss Parker closed her eyes momentarily, remembering that night almost a year ago when she had discovered her father had been killed. Opening her eyes she smiled at Jarod, "I won't be shedding any more tears for him." Her father's body, Brigette's too, had been discovered a couple of days after Sydney brought the news to them. The local police had an anonymous tip and going to her father's house had found them both the apparent victims of a burglary gone wrong.  
  
Lyle's decomposing body had turned up a few days after the fire, bullet hole in his head and a rather convenient note at his side. The local police, happy to wrap up all four incidents in one go and no doubt under assistance from the Triumverate, had Lyle guilty of double murder, arson and suicide. "For any of them", she amended.  
  
Jarod nodded understandingly and held her closer. His initial fears over her ability to cope with the loss of her family were proved foundless; the softness he had witnessed her display with Matthew remained however she had held on to some of those attributes that had gotten her through life at The Centre.  
  
Her smile slipped a little, "Except the baby." She was still unsure how to feel about the baby Brigette had been carrying. Both Sydney and Angelo had disputed the possibility that the child had been hers and Jarod's. Sydney had told them of Brigettes reaction to Angelo's comment in the lab. Then there was the fact that the Triumverate had washed their hands of Brigette too. That Jarod had destroyed any remaining samples hopefully meant that Project Silence had been failure, for The Centre anyway. However that meant the child had been a sibling or, as Broots as said, with Lyle involved maybe even a niece or nephew. Whichever was the truth another soul had been destroyed by The Centre.  
  
Jarod ran a finger gently down her cheek. They had discussed the babys parentage on the one journey they had made back to Blue Cove since The Centre burnt down. They'd waited until they were sure the Triumverate were long gone before their return. No one had claimed the bodies of Mr Parker, Brigette or Lyle; the authorities had thus buried husband and wife together, a fact that pleased Miss Parker as she didn't want her father anywhere near her mother. Together they had placed a single rose on the double grave for the innocent lost. Jarod cupped her cheek and kissed her gently on the forehead before wrapping his arms around her again.  
  
She leant further into him, enjoying the closeness they were sharing. Jarod had been her tower of strength in those early days, anytime she was feeling hard done by she just had to look at him and remind herself how lucky she really was. Somewhere along the line she began to see him in a whole different light - maybe it had always been there or maybe it was because ever since he had caught up with her and Matthew he had been constantly in her life. Either way she woke up one morning with the realisation that she was most definitely falling for him, and this time there was no one to disapprove; no father to disappoint, no Centre to punish her, and she knew Thomas would have approved. Matthew certainly did...  
  
A few days after that notion hit her, and after sitting on those feelings through uncertainty about Jarod's response, Matthew had intervened. The three of them had been decorating the house for christmas, it was Matthews first experience of the festive season and both she and Jarod had wanted to go all out for him. By that point Jarod was visiting almost every day occasionally bringing his father along too, she and the Major had come to an understanding mainly because of Jarod and Matthew. Matthew had overdosed on christmas television and had come up with a plan that involved her, Jarod and mistletoe...  
  
"What are you thinking about?", Jarod asked softly, rousing her from her memories. Her smile had returned slowly, intriguing him and as usual making his heart soar. He would often lay awake at night and watch her dreaming, a smile playing on her lips. There was nothing else in this world that made him feel the way she did when she cast him a smile, not even meeting his mother after all those years apart could top that feeling.   
  
It was almost four months ago when his father had finally called with the news that he had found Margaret and Emily; the Major had taken over the main responsibility for locating them as Jarod was usually otherwise engaged. Despite the Triumverate's retreat from Blue Cove and The Centre's demise, both his mother and sister had remained on the run.  
  
In the end locating them had been the easiest part. The new dynamics of his life meant his mother and sister had some unexpected adjustments to make. Matthew was readily accepted by them both, however it was the family context he had created with Miss Parker that came as a surprise. And news that he was still in regular contact with Sydney was greeted with suspicion.   
  
Sydney had since taken a step away from both himself and Miss Parker in an effort to give Margaret and Emily time to adjust one step at a time. Though this had saddened Jarod he was thankful for his mentors foresight as both his mother and sister were gradually coming around. Sydney, having taken sole responsibility for Angelo, had used the time to work with the younger man and some progress in his communication skills had recently been made. So much so that, with Broots' help - as he had not strayed far from the other Centre exiles - and using the DSA's Angelo had acquired, they had impressed upon the Triumverate the importance of leaving them all alone.   
  
Miss Parker smiled seductively at Jarod, "Us." Feeling better now that the morning sickness had passed she raised herself up on one elbow and lowered her head to kiss him. Though her pregnancy had not been planned, they hadn't exactly planned against it either. She was certain that she'd missed her chance at motherhood, she'd abused her body enough over the years to prevent it. They had both been ecstatic to be proven wrong, but not long after the doctor confirmed it the morning sickness had kicked in. Thankfully it barely lasted past nine in the morning.  
  
Jarod flipped her onto her back and hovered above her, "I thought you hated me?", he grinned at her.  
  
"I do", she began as she unbuttoned his shirt, "with a passion." 


End file.
